Gingrich wins South Carolina primary, Fox News projects
- APRepublican presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich takes part in a TV interview during a campaign event at the Grapevine Restaurant in Spartanburg, S.C., on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, the unpredictable voting day of the South Carolina presidential primary. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Newt Gingrich has won the South Carolina Republican primary, Fox News projects, further scrambling an already volatile presidential race which has produced three different winners in three states as the candidates head next to Florida.
Fox News projects that Mitt Romney will place second in the Palmetto State, where he was leading in the polls just one week ago. With 72 percent of precincts reporting, Gingrich has 40 percent and Romney has 27 percent.
Rick Santorum will finish in third place, Fox News projects, while Ron Paul will finish last.
Gingrich's victory marks a remarkable comeback for the former House speaker, propelled by his strong performance in two debates in South Carolina this week.
But Romney, at his post-election rally in South Carolina, vowed to put up a stiff fight in what he predicted would be a "long primary season."
"I'll keep fighting for every single vote. I will compete in every single state," Romney said.
The former Massachusetts governor, without calling out Gingrich by name, blasted him over his government-heavy resume and his past attacks on Romney's tenure at Bain Capital.
"President Obama has no experience running a business and no experience running a state. Our party can't be led to victory by someone who also has never run a business and never run a state," Romney said. Likewise, Romney said the GOP can't defeat Obama with a candidate who joined in on the "assault on free enterprise."
"They're attacking every person who dreams of a better future. He's attacking you. I will support you," Romney said, adding that anyone who demonizes success is not "fit" to be nominee.
Gingrich, though, recently has tempered his criticism of Romney's time at the investment firm -- opting instead to pressure Romney to release his tax returns.
Romney's aides had been downplaying expectations by late Saturday, acknowledging the momentum that had been going Gingrich's way in recent days.
Exit polling confirmed his advantage among several groups of voters. Those who made up their minds late broke for Gingrich, while those who had decided early mostly backed Romney. Late deciders outnumbered early deciders 53-46 percent. Gingrich also had the advantage among voters who viewed the debates as important. And Gingrich was leading among those who say it's important that a candidate shares their religious beliefs.
South Carolina has a reputation as a tie-breaker in the Republican primaries, often setting the winner on a relatively smooth course to the nomination. But Saturday's contest only complicates things. With Gingrich's victory, there have been three distinct winners in the first three contests.
The race heads next to Florida. There, Romney is planning to aggressively go after Gingrich's ethics record in the House during his days as speaker and the consulting work his firm did for Freddie Mac.
Gingrich, trying to build up his operation, made a fundraising pitch on Twitter Saturday night. "Thank you South Carolina! Help me deliver the knockout punch in Florida," he wrote.
Primary day Saturday was marked by tough rhetoric on both sides, previewing the race ahead.
In the morning, Gingrich mocked Romney after the former Massachusetts governor came and went at a campaign stop where both candidates were expected to meet. Not to be outdone, Romney's campaign later put out a statement celebrating the "15th anniversary" of the House decision to reprimand Gingrich for ethics violations, during his days as speaker.
Romney suggested Saturday that he's girding for a drawn-out election, while sounding optimistic about his odds in the long run.
The former governor's fortunes have taken a sharp turn over the past week. He initially headed into South Carolina with a win in Iowa and New Hampshire under his belt. Then the Iowa GOP announced that Santorum, and not Romney, had actually won the Iowa caucuses -- party officials declared Santorum the winner late Friday night after giving a qualified announcement earlier in the week. Rick Perry also dropped out on Thursday, endorsing Gingrich.
And while Gingrich has deflected questions about claims made by his second wife, Romney has struggled to explain why he won't release his tax returns in the near future.
Santorum, speaking Saturday night in Charleston, described the race as "wide open" and said he's charging into Florida next.
"Three states, three winners," Santorum said. He continued to make a working-class appeal to voters, saying he's going to bring a "little different message" than the other candidates.
"I plan to be a little different," Santorum said. "I'm going to go out and talk about how we're going to have a Republican Party, a conservative movement that makes sure that everyone in America has the opportunity to rise."
Paul, despite placing fourth, vowed to press on Saturday night. He noted that the returns suggest his campaign will have attracted four or five times more votes than it did in the 2008 race.
"There's every reason to be encouraged," Paul told an enthusiastic crowd. "This campaign has a long way to go."
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/21/polls-close-in-south-carolina-primary/#ixzz1k9NJZtcg