Santorum easily defeats Romney in Louisiana

Jae C. Hong

UPDATED March 25, 12:09 a.m. ET

(CBS News) Rick Santorum easily won the Republican presidential primary in Louisiana on Saturday, garnering close to twice as many votes as his next closest competitor. Santorum's victory is fresh evidence of the weakness of front-runner Mitt Romney, who is nonetheless increasingly likely to be the Republican who takes on President Obama in November.

Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator and social conservative, did well among evangelicals, Catholics and those who identify themselves as "very conservative," according to CBS News exit polls. The win marks the 11th victory for Santorum, who has done well in the Deep South, including victories earlier this month in Alabama and Mississippi.

With all 4,267 precincts reporting, Santorum had about 49 percent of the vote, or 91,305 votes, while second place Romney had 27 percent, or 49,749 votes. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was a distant third with 16 percent and Texas Rep. Ron Paul had just 6 percent of the counted vote.

Complete Louisiana GOP results
Louisiana primary results by county
Full Louisiana exit poll

"To the people of Louisiana, Thank you very much. You have come through and come through in a big way," Santorum told supporters in Wisconsin.

"I just want to thank you for making a very clear and crisp statement and that is you don't believe as the pundits have said that this race is over. You didn't get the memo. We're still here. We're still fighting," Santorum said.

Romney did not hold a rally but called Santorum to congratulate him and sent out a tweet doing the same.

Santorum also did well among those who consider the economy the most important issue of the election. Among those voters, Santorum had 46 percent support, compared to 30 percent support for Romney, according to CBS News exit polls. The economy was considered the top factor among Republican voters in Louisiana Saturday.

Analysis: "Values" voters propel Santorum to victory in Louisiana

Romney, on the other hand, did well among those who say that defeating Mr. Obama is their top priority for choosing a candidate and those who identified themselves as moderates.

Santorum hopes to parlay the win in Louisiana to more wins, but the math is prohibitively difficult for the candidate who was already campaigning in Wisconsin on Saturday. Voters in Wisconsin, Maryland and Washington, D.C., head to the polls on April 3.

"Rick Santorum is like football team celebrating a field goal when they are losing by seven touchdowns with less than a minute left in the game," said Romney spokesman Ryan Williams following Santorum's win.

There were about 20 delegates at stake in Louisiana Saturday, but Santorum is not expected to claim all of them, even with his win. Another 26 delegates are to be claimed later in the process. Going into the race, Romney had 549 of the 1,144 delegates needed to win, according to CBS News estimates. CBS News estimates Santorum will pick up at least six delegates tonight, bringing his total to 237.

Not counting Louisiana, Romney would need to win 45 percent of the remaining delegates while Santorum needs to win about 70 percent to win the nomination.

Estimated Republican delegate scorecard
Full GOP primary results

Louisiana divides its delegates proportionally, so Romney could collect nearly as many delegates as Santorum, even with a loss, though it was not immediately clear how many each would collect. The other candidates were not expected to collect any delegates.

Gingrich has close to 130 delegates according to CBS News estimates after winning in just two states: South Carolina in January and his native Georgia earlier this month. Texas Rep. Ron Paul has not won any contests outright but has amassed more than 40 delegates.

Beyond the April 3 elections, Santorum is already looking to the April 24 contest in his home state of Pennsylvania, where more than 70 delegates are on the table. More than 200 delegates are at stake that Tuesday, including Connecticut, Delaware, New York and Rhode Island.

None of the candidates appears to be dropping out anytime soon. While Romney is now on pace to garner enough delegates to win the nomination before the nominating convention in August, it remains possible that he finds himself short of the necessary delegates after the last primary in Utah at the end of June.

That could lead to some of the so-called "unbound" delegates switching to Romney to unify the party, or it could lead to a contested convention. Santorum and the other candidates, of course, are hoping for the latter.

On the stump, Santorum frequently calls on Republican voters not to nominate Romney, whom he calls moderate, reminding crowds that nominating incumbent President Gerald Ford, a moderate, in 1976 over the more conservative Ronald Reagan was a mistake. Ford lost to Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, who lost to Reagan four years later. Not coincidentally, 1976 was the last year there was a contested Republican nominating convention.

[ProtectAmericanJobs]

Devastating Health Insurance Cost Increases

We just got a notice that the cost of the healthcare coverage that we provide to our employees is increasing by 33% for those of us with the PPO plan and 36% for our employees who selected the cheaper HMO version of our plan. Yet our company has had to hold or reduce our own prices over the last 4 years and even going back into the late 90's we were lucky if we could even increase our prices 3-4% a year. How do these insurance companies justify these types of increases? Last year was the only year that their increases were even close to within reason and that's only because they were being challenged. If health insurance premiums increased double or even triple the rate of inflation we'd probably be able to accept it, but the ridiculous annual increase percentages over the past 10-12 years have been devastating to our business and our employees. Something needs to be done.

I didn't vote for President Obama and I know that the plan that they passed is not ideal, but at least he had the guts to take this issue on. I run a business that employs just over 20 people and neither our company nor our employees can afford this anymore. We're paying 65% and our employees are paying the balance. About 15 years ago we were paying 100%, then about 10 years ago had to cut it to 75% and then a few years back to 65%. I consider myself an independent voter, but going back to the Reagan days and with the only exception having been Perot, I've always voted Republican. So I'm not a lefty, yet I believe that every U.S. Citizen deserves basic healthcare coverage.

It doesn't matter which side fixes the problem - Instead of just fighting about it - JUST FIX IT.

All this single-minded, left versus right, ideological one dimensional bull has got to go! This is the problem with our country. It shouldn't be about Democrats or Republicans! It should be about Americans, especially our elected officials, doing the right thing for our country and it's citizens.

Whatever it is, there has got to be a better way than what's been going on for the past 10-12 years. Because if it doesn't change my company and our employees are going to go broke. We can not afford to keep having our premiums go up 20-35% per year. I'm sure if our leaders put all of the pettiness and the backroom agendas aside they could come up with a plan that could help America, all of it's citizens and the businesses that are trying to do right by their employees.

[ProtectAmericanJobs]

We need to Stop Illegal immigration! They're not just doing jobs that Americans don't want. Do they pay taxes? Don't get me wrong most of these people work very hard, but are a drain on the system if they don't pay taxes, have healthcare coverage, learn the language or get paid wages that are in line with their American counterparts. Who's footing the bill for the education of their children and the infrastructure around them? We all know that the health care provided to uninsured illegals here in the states is being averaged into our hospital costs and our insurance premiums, which have proportionately increased along with illegal immigration over the last 20 years? These costs are also being passed along to Medicaid and Medicare, which means that not only are they increasing our insurance premiums, but that we're paying for them again with our tax dollars.

Our tax dollars and insurance premiums should not be used to recoup the cost of healthcare given to illegal immigrants, who shouldn't even be here in our country in the first place.

To the people that disagree, we should ask them this:

If a few illegal immigrants knocked on your door and demanded that you pay some medical bills for them, would you pay them?

[ProtectAmericanJobs]

We need whoever wins the next election to Start Protecting American Jobs and do whatever it takes to bring back the jobs they let go. They've got to give us somebody who will stand up for the American people.

We need to bring manufacturing back to the United States of America and both parties are ignoring tariffs as a way to level the playing field, raise money and bring jobs back home. Let's guess why. Oh that's right, tariff is a dirty word. Hum, maybe it's that our so called leaders (political leaders) are beholden to the same people who are exporting our jobs.

I guess we should keep letting Corp Boards, Wall Street and CEOs promote sending US jobs to countries where they work for slave wages, no benefits, no OSHA safety standards or no real environment regulations. How's that been working for us?

The so called "Global Market Place" is not a level playing field. Companies may have made higher profits by "out sourcing", but they've been putting middle class Americans who are a good part of the world's customer base out of work. I'm not a lefty or member of any union. I run a business that employs over 20 people and produces products that are purchased by customers that do manufacturing and packaging. I'm just an average Joe, but I've been saying this for more than 10 years now. If I can see it, so can our so called leaders (political leaders) who are beholden to the same people who are exporting our jobs.

We need to add tariffs that are proportionate to the inequities in wages and regulations in the country where the goods were produced and or where we're importing them from. We could then use the money raised by these tariffs to help companies build state of the art manufacturing plants here in the USA, which would create more jobs here at home for US citizens, which would then in turn increase our income tax revenue.

Bringing manufacturing back to the US not only gives jobs to the US citizens who would be working in those manufacturing facilities, but to the people that would be working in the businesses that would spring up all around them. This should also include the safe harvesting, production and distribution of our own natural energy here in the USA, rather than paying for fuel from countries where they hate us. Let's keep that money and those jobs here in the US.

We may have to pay a bit more for products made here in the USA by US citizens, but at least we'll still have jobs and a future for our children.

The bottom line is that "Our Government" has to protect American industry and the jobs that those industries provide. If they do that, the rest will take care of itself.

[ProtectAmericanJobs]

These so-called "free trade agreements" have to go. It was obvious when they were passing these agreements as to what was going to happen and sure enough it did. Our leaders had to have known this as well when they were passing these bills. It's just common sense. Our government, who is supposed to represent the American people, has to help even the playing field by adding tariffs that are proportionate to the inequities in wages and regulations in the country where the goods were produced and or where we're importing them from. We could then use the money raised by these tariffs to help companies build state of the art manufacturing plants here in the USA, which would create more jobs here at home for US citizens, which would then in turn increase our income tax revenue.

[ProtectAmericanJobs]

The people with all of the excuses as to why we can't or aren't willing to manufacture products here in the US are the same people who have provided us with the thinking that's gotten us into this mess in the first place.

Bringing manufacturing back to the United States of America not only gives jobs to the US citizens who would be working in those manufacturing facilities, but to the people that would be working in the businesses that would spring up all around them. The "Global Market Place" is not a level playing field! The whole idea of the tariffs is so we can pay our factory workers a decent wage and not be blown out by these other countries where they don't play by the same rules.

We also need to harvest, produce and distribute of our own natural energy here in the USA, rather than paying for fuel from countries where they hate us. The refining and production of these fuels and energy is also another form of manufacturing. This would keep that money and those jobs here in the US.

[HeavenlyTrainRide]

I'm glad Mr. Santorum stands up for his convictions. Life begins at conception. The unborn should have rights that are defended, regardless of if they are unwanted by the mother or conceived wrongfully. Just because the child belongs to the mother while in the mother's womb, doesn't make it okay to kill it. The child still belongs to mom when it's a year old, and it's dependent on its mother than too, but its still not okay to kill it. Degree of mental development, size, location, or level dependency on mom are not appropriate guides for when to kill.

Mr. Santorum's stance against illegal pornography is vital for our society. This stance takes courage. How many gang members are there who profit from selling children for sex and would easily kill someone who stands in their way? Slave trading is a reality and illegal pornography is at its center. Rick's convictions are inspired and strengthened by his loving relationship with Jesus and his family, they help preserve the sanctity of sexual union and marriages.

Mitt Romney is an exceptionally talented man. His ability in business is worthy of esteem. However, I have concerns about his fiscal ethics, his consistency on important issues and his religious background. In regards to the latter, I love the Mormon people, I think they are a blessing to nearly everyone because they are so loving and strong in their convictions. This also applies to the Seventh Day Adventist church, with whom I also have many friends. But, the doctrines of both of these churches, and many protestant churches, are lacking, or plainly in error, and those who continue in these churches without fully contrasting their church, and it's teachings, with the history behind the Catholic church as the historical and foundational church of Christianity, and the reasons behind it's doctrines, do a great disservice to our faith. Sadly, all men and women are prone to evil, and this is something we don't easily overcome in this world without a real relationship with Jesus, and even then we can still fall short, so all institutions have their share of scandal.

Rick Santorum has proven his trustworthiness as a man of good character. His views are aligned with sound and healthy convictions; he's not taking these views to win over those who already have them. Made in the USA is a good idea, reducing taxes as an incentive for locally based businesses.

Rick's political success is a case of David against goliath. His views are not the most popular, but he's not changing them for favor. He has been outspent nearly 10 to 1 and is still coming up with victories. Respectfully, he focuses mostly on positive ad campaigns. People should vote for who they like the most, not who they think will win their party preference. Many democrats will vote for Rick over Barack and Mitt, combining those votes with his current favor in the GOP, Rick Santorum will be our next President!

[Jhihmoac]

...Now he'll go boasting about how God made it happen - SHEESH!

[smittyc]

Pretty clear the parties are divided.

[Lindag10]

Looks like the usual crowd of religious freaks came out in support of good old Sanctimony. No surprise there.

[royalstar05]

Forget about Santorum, he's done.

[baileyccc]

Santorum strength in the South is Romney religion that southerns don't understand.

[ReckonedTruth]

When its all said and done.. Rick will not have the numbers for the GOP nomination.

Romney needs to kick it in high gear and eliminate Rick from the race. Rick is such a CRY BABY!