CAMPAIGN 2012

East v. West: Breaking Down the Ohio GOP Primary -- GRAPHIC

Updated: March 7, 2012 | 1:17 p.m.
March 6, 2012 | 4:05 p.m.

Despite a huge fundraising advantage, Mitt Romney won only a paper-thin victory in Ohio's Republican presidential primary on Tuesday, defeating rival Rick Santorum by less than 1 percent of votes cast.

CANDIDATEVOTE PERCENTAGEDELEGATESADVERTISING*DISTRICTS WON

Mitt Romney’s campaign and the pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future vastly outspent opponents. They spent heavily in Cleveland, seeking to blunt Rick Santorum’s appeal among blue-collar voters.

38%

35

Rick Santorum spent most of his ad budget on cable TV spots, outspending Romney on the medium. The ex-U.S. senator from Pennsylvania performed best in rural areas, but was held back by not being on the ballot in three congressional districts.

37%

21

Newt Gingrich focused on his home state of Georgia, which also held a primary on Super Tuesday. But the pro-Gingrich super PAC Winning Our Future spent $430,000 in Ohio running ads on his behalf.

15%

0

Ron Paul has followed a caucus strategy, leaving big-state primaries in states such as Ohio to his rivals.

9%

0

Graphic by: PETER BELL
Sources: Hotline reporting; Ohio Secretary of State; Associated Press. *Dollar totals reflect spending by the candidates' campaigns
as well as supportive super PACs. Romney and allies spent $323,000 on cable TV advertising; Santorum, $558,000; Gingrich, $109,000.

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