By Karen Cross, National Right to Life Political Director
Three states and American Samoa held presidential nominating contests on Tuesday: Alabama, Hawaii, and Mississippi.
With 99% of the vote reported in Alabama, Rick Santorum won with 35%, followed by Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney virtually tied with 29%. Rep. Ron Paul finished with 5%.
With 99% reporting, the results in Mississippi almost mirrors Alabama. Rick Santorum finished first with 33%, followed by Newt Gingrich with 31%, Mitt Romney with 30%, and Ron Paul with 4% of the vote.
By carrying 45% of the vote in Hawaii’s precinct caucuses, Mitt Romney was awarded eight delegates. Rick Santorum received three delegates with 25%, Ron Paul one delegate with 18%, and Newt Gingrich received 11% but no delegates.
Romney won the American Samoa GOP caucuses with nine delegates at stake.
According to Fox News, the delegate count to date is:
Romney – 495
Santorum – 252
Gingrich – 131
Paul – 48
Incumbents Held Off Challenges in Alabama’s Congressional Primary
In Alabama’s fifth congressional district primary, pro-life Rep. Mo Brooks soundly prevailed in a challenge brought by former pro-life Rep. Parker Griffith. The tally was 72% to 28%.
In the sixth congressional district, pro-life Rep. Spencer Bachus avoided a runoff by garnering 58% of the vote in his primary.
Remaining Presidential Primaries, Caucuses and Congressional Contests in March
Next week Illinois will hold its presidential and congressional contests on March 20. A March 9, 2012, Chicago Tribune poll has Mitt Romney with 35%, Rick Santorum with 31%, Newt Gingrich at 12%, and Ron Paul at 7%.
Illinois lost one congressional district due to changes brought about by the 2010 census. Redistricting pits pro-life Rep. Don Manzullo (R) versus pro-life Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R) in a member-versus- member race in the 16th congressional district.
On March 17, Missouri will hold their non-binding presidential caucuses, and on March 18, a winner-take-all caucus will have presidential candidates vying for 23 delegates in Puerto Rico.
Louisiana will close out March with a presidential primary on March 24, with 46 delegates at stake.
By the end of March, twenty-nine states and three territories will have held their presidential contests, or will have begun the nominating processes in their caucuses. The remaining twenty-one states and the District of Columbia will hold their contests in the interim, with the final contest in Utah on June 26.
Your feedback is very important to improving National Right to Life News Today. Please send your comments to daveandrusko@gmail.com. If you like, join those who are following me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/
