Rick Santorum on Saturday won the Louisiana primary, a victory that continues his streak in the South but helps only marginally in the all-important race for delegates with front-runner Mitt Romney, who came in second.
Ahead for Santorum is a difficult string of contests, including Wisconsin on April 3 and New York and Pennsylvania on April 24. Republican primary voters in those states are not as friendly to him as those in Louisiana, with its many evangelicals and social conservatives.
The former Pennsylvania senator has now won primaries and caucuses in 11 states: four in the South; five in the Midwest and two in the West. But he still lags far behind Romney in total delegates. Going into today’s primary, Romney led with 563 to Santorum’s 263. The former Massachusetts governor has about half the 1,144 necessary to clinch the nomination.
Just 20 of the Louisiana’s 46 delegates were up for grabs today, and they are to be awarded proportionately. Most of the rest will be selected at the state Republican convention in June.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas also competed in Louisiana. Gingrich’s loss is sure to reinforce perceptions that his presidential campaign has no rationale to keep going. He has been on a losing streak since winning his home state of Georgia on Super Tuesday on March 6.
Paul continues to campaign but is not considered a serious contender for the nomination. Rather, he seems intent on staying in the race to assure he and his supporters have a role at the party’s convention in August in Tampa.
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