Romney holds off Santorum in Michigan, Arizona

AP Photo/Carlos Osorio

Updated Feb. 29, 7:15 a.m. ET

Mitt Romney won two key primary victories Tuesday, in Arizona, where he won easily, and Michigan, where he was born and where rival Rick Santorum almost upended the race for the Republican nomination for president.

The race in Michigan was unexpectedly competitive and one of the closest of the GOP campaign so far.

Born and raised in Michigan and the son of a popular governor who was also a top auto executive, the former Massachusetts governor had long been expected to coast to victory. But Santorum surprised the political world with a trio of wins three weeks ago, in the process gaining momentum as a credible alternative to the candidate often characterized as the "inevitable" nominee. Romney regained his footing in recent days after a series of missteps by the former Pennsylvania senator and polls showed the two candidates in a statistical dead heat going into Tuesday's contest.

In Arizona, with all 2,181 precincts reporting, Romney has 47 percent of the vote. Santorum has 27 percent while Newt Gingrich has 16 percent and Ron Paul has 8 percent.

With 5,232 of 5,233 precincts reporting in Michigan, Romney has 41 percent of the vote. Santorum has 38 percent while Paul has 12 percent and Gingrich has 7 percent.

"We didn't win by a lot, but we won by enough, and that's all that counts," Romney said in Novi, Michigan Tuesday night, before diving into an attack against President Obama.

While the number of delegates at stake are roughly the same for both states, Michigan was more closely watched because the second place finisher will garner some of the delegates, and the results have been cast as a referendum on Romney's candidacy.

With Gingrich essentially ceding the state and Paul trailing there, the Michigan primary was seen as a test as to whether Republican primary voters preferred a polished, diligent candidate like Romney or a passionate populist like Santorum.

Full Michigan results
Michigan exit poll
Analysis: Mitt Romney avoids a Michigan disaster

CBS News early exit polling showed that Arizona and Michigan primary voters were primarily concerned with picking a candidate that can defeat President Obama. Among the issues they care about, voters said the economy is the most important.

When it comes to electability and handling the economy, exit polling showed Michigan voters have the most faith in Romney. Among those voters primarily concerned with defeating Mr. Obama, 61 percent backed Romney, while just 24 percent voted for Santorum. Eight percent voted for Gingrich, and 4 percent voted for Paul.

Among Michigan voters who picked the economy as their top issue, 47 percent backed Romney, while 30 percent supported Santorum.

Full Arizona results
Arizona exit poll
How Mitt Romney won Arizona

Among Arizona voters who picked the economy as their top issue, 51 percent backed Romney, exit polling showed, while 26 percent backed Santorum. Romney is seen as most electable in Arizona.

In his remarks Tuesday night, Romney focused on the economy and attacking Mr. Obama's job performance: "Four years ago we warned that the presidency was no place for on-the-job training," he said. "Well, today we have the economy to prove it."

With Tuesday's victory in Michigan, Romney dodged an embarrassing loss on his home turf. A win also gives the former Massachusetts governor some crucial momentum ahead of Super Tuesday on March 6, when 10 states will weigh in and a whopping 437 delegates will be decided.

But even though Romney pulled ahead of Santorum in Michigan, the hard-fought race underscored Romney's weaknesses. He has been incapable so far of winning robust support from his own party in spite of his well-organized campaign efforts.

Santorum's performance against his better-funded rival was impressive, and Tuesday night, he cast the results in a positive light. "A month ago, they didn't know who we are, but they do now," he told his cheering supporters.

The former senator attempted to appeal to a group of voters once referred to as "Reagan Democrats" -- working class, social conservatives -- with a mix of economic populism and social values. In spite of his losses Tuesday night, Santorum could still perform well on Super Tuesday, when three southern states vote (Tennessee, Oklahoma and Georgia), as well as Ohio, where polls show Santorum in the lead. However, Santorum is likely to be hounded still by questions of whether his campaign can appeal to more than just the conservative base.

Romney in Michigan: "We won by enough"
Gingrich talks trees, not losses, in primary night speech
Paul ignores Arizona and Michigan vote
Why Michigan was so close, and how Romney won

CBS News exit polling in Michigan showed that working class voters -- the voting bloc Santorum has been chasing -- nearly split between the leading candidates. Santorum had a slight edge among voters making less than $50,000 a year, garnering 41 percent to Romney's 36 percent. Among voters without a college degree, Santorum won 39 percent while Romney won 37 percent.

Though Romney has regained his footing somewhat, the race could go on for a number of months. A candidate needs 1,144 delegates to secure the nomination; even after the Michigan and Arizona delegates are allocated, the candidates will still be far from what they need for victory.

Michigan's 30 delegates will be awarded proportionally, which benefits Ron Paul, who has focused on accumulating delegates if not winning states outright.

After Tuesday night's primaries, Romney leads in CBS News' Delegates to Date Estimate, with 157 delegates. Santorum has 52, while Gingrich has 30 and Paul has 15.

Full Republican delegate scorecard
Nationwide primary results so far

[somemetryguy]

Stop flipping the OneParty coin like a fool - heads they win, tails you lose. Check out Americans Elect and Buddy Roemer. Politics as usual is over. We ARE the 99%.

[noloyalisti]

I am really questioning why any woman would ever vote for a Republicon of any species. The only thing I can think of is that they are bred into the Republicon way of thinking by their parents and thus accept they have less rights.

[Demo-Cat]

I guess it helps to have lots and lots of money. I see posts on my facebook feed regarding how much money Governor Romney has spent and can almost see and hear the posters clapping over it. My heart goes out to them if that is how they measure their candidate's success. Should he have Job's bad luck (remember the unlucky man in the Old Testament who lost everything?) I wonder how many folks would think he was the great answer man. But Meg Whitman outspent everyone in the last Governor's race in California, too. She was supposedly everyone's great hope. All I could see was the tired and poor, who could not contribute to the Greater Business Plan of the State of California being shipped with her version of severance pay (you are no longer a resident of this state, the letter with it would say) to some island to live until hunger, disease, illness, and death took care of the "problem". She lost, however, in spite of her great wealth. Money doesn't always win, and Mitt Romney might remember that.

[noloyalisti]

Yes, but that was in CA which has always been the epicenter of education and progressive thought and movements.

We all need to realize how many independents (read poorly informed and often lazy and easily led) and brainwashed Republicons who don't let truth get in the way of a good story.

[Zann-Zel]

Dan1805 February 29, 2012 10:14 AM EST
Having a Mormon sure beats having the anti-Christ!!!
-----------------
Dan, the "anti-Christ" is supposed to be loved by ALL. Judging by some of the comments here, I'm sure you can't say that about Obama!

[bileven]

Actually, the Anti-Christ is only embrassed after the rapture of the church... So opposition will be minimal.

[ProgressNow]

by ThyAlmightyKing February 29, 2012 8:19 AM EST
Has anyone noticed Obama has beem MIA.
The media has been keeping him out of
the news.
----

Queen, Fox doesn't cover the Pres that much and when they do they almost always get the story wrong. Had you watched the real news, the Pres just hosted the nation's governors at the White House and asked them to invest more in education. I know folks like you don't feel the need for education, but I thought it was a good idea.

[arthanyel]

Not to mention speaking to members of the auto industry which he saved while the Republicans would have let it, and all its support industries, burn to the ground.

[bileven]

lol, this is CBS, not Fox... so your point is kind of dead.

As for your analogy, just because you perfer to have smoke blown up your dres, does not make it 100% factual. 95% of the news is reported off White House Press Releases, with a bit of follow-up.

Might actually invest some time in understanding how the AP works, so you know how to read between the slants and deception generated "clue" words.

Little thing to help, "May" means NOT entirely true, just a guess, used in conjunction with "likely". Hidden meaning, the reporter couldn't prove one way or the other and they are inserting their best guess (aka opinion).

Journalism 101...

[Lindag10]

Romney winning 41 percent of the vote in his home state isn't very impressive. Seems like the Republicans don't like ANY of their choices. Can't say as I blame them, what an insipid lot they all are.

[Zann-Zel]

Its a good time to be an anti-Republican! : )

[Zann-Zel]

Awesome! I'm looking forward to all those people trying to choose between a Mormon, Obama and staying home! : )

OBAMA 2012

[Zann-Zel]

I thought it was interesting that the exit polls showed the Catholics voting more for Romney than Santorum.

To me that proves people don't vote for "one of their own" just because he is their own.

[daffy64]

I guess the only remaining question is if 'baggers are going to go out and vote for the Mormon-liberal-public-health-care guy in the Presidential election or stay home.

[bileven]

You mean the guy that voted against the Federal Mandate to pad the wallets of the Insurance Corporations? Or the guy who grew up educated in the Executive responsibilities in Politics?

Sorry, not seeing much of a choice. I love how his religious beliefs are an issue, while ignoring those of the Incumbent opponent to come.

I would rather vote for a guy who is Mormon, then a guy who professed to be Christian, but every chance he has to show his values, he votes against those professed beliefs. That is defined as a hypocrite. Wonder what other lies he told?

[KnowerseekerReturns]

Doesn't matter to me. I'll be voting for either Obama or Buddy Roemer (who has gone independent now); I haven't made up my mind yet. http://buddyroemer.com/issues

[daffy64]

President "Buddy"?

[daffy64]

Yay. There's going to be a liberal in the white house no matter who wins now.