Romney Wins Florida GOP Primary; Pasco Reacts

Mitt Romney won the Florida Presidential Preference Primary on Tuesday, earning the state's 50 delegates and distancing himself from Newt Gingrich as the Republican frontrunner for 2012.

The Associated Press projected Romney's commanding victory shortly after 8 p.m. when the final polls closed in Florida's Panhandle.

The former Massachusetts governor had taken 46 percent of the vote to 31 percent for Gingrich after returns from 99 percent of the polls were in. Rick Santorum had 13 percent, and Ron Paul 7 percent.

"Florida, you're the best," a victorious Romney told a crowd gathered at his  at the downtown Tampa Convention Center.

"It’s disappointing," said Pasco resident Kevin Sakser, who backed Gingrich in the race.

Sakser believes the race was won on negative advertisements and money.

"This has just proven to be a money election," he said.

Despite the loss of his favored candidate, Sakser said he intends to support his party in the November election.

"(I'll) vote for Mitt Romney," he said. "(President) Obama is ruining this country for our grandkids. It’s just upsetting that the only person in this race that’s balanced the budget in the United States federal government (didn't win). People hold their nose to that but they’ll elect bill Clinton for a second term."

Pasco resident Diane Kearns-Carlstrom, a member of Occupy New Port Richey,  also expressed disappointment at Romney's win. 

"Well, Romney won, no big surprise there," she wrote. "I am really disappointed that he won simply because it happened due to very nasty attack ads and had little to do with his campaign having any substance.

"This just demonstrates, again, how campaigns can be bought in Florida if enough is spent. I had hoped Ron Paul would have done better. In any case, if this continues like this, the Republican candidate will be very much torn down when it comes time for him to compete against president Obama, which is great for one side, not so much for the other."

Denise Houston, a New Port Richey resident who registered as a Republican so she could vote for Paul, had this to say:

After seeing all the mud slinging here in Florida, the only respectable candidate  in my opinion is still Ron Paul.

“There are few people in public life who, through thick and thin, rain or shine, stick to their principles. Ron Paul is one of those few.”

 I love Ron Paul because he donates part of his congressional pension EVERY year and has for the last 30 years.  For the last 30 years he is the ONLY politician to vote 100% to the US Constitution. He is a Military veteran and a doctor who truly wishes to help people and has often done it for free.

When late-night comedian Jon Stewart recently asked Ron Paul why he keeps running, the representative replied: "I think if you plant a seed, it tends to grow."

Years ago, Paul says, a congressional colleague slipped a laminated piece of paper into his hand. It was a passage from Elie Wiesel's 1970 book, "One Generation After."

In it, a child asks the one "Just Man" why he walks the streets of Sodom railing against wickedness, when he knows it is hopeless. The man replies: "if I continue my protest, at least I will prevent others from changing me."

Paul can't recall who gave him the quote. But he still has it, tucked away with his House voting card.

How Pasco Voted

According to the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Office’s unofficial results, a total of 43,411 ballots were cast in today’s race. The total number of registered Republicans is 115,792.

Of those who voted in today’s race, 19,175 cast their ballots for Romney. Gingrich came in second with 13,057, or 30.09 percent of the vote. Rick Santorum trailed in at third with 6,731 ballots cast in his favor.

Voter turnout is estimated at 37.49 percent.

For a complete look at the unofficial results from Pasco, visit the supervisor’s office online.

The Importance of Florida

The "Interstate 4 corridor" and the Tampa Bay area in particular had been prime territory for some of the candidates' campaigns in the days and weeks leading up to Tuesday's vote.

Romney, who established a campaign headquarters in South Tampa, made visits and and held a at the downtown convention center.

Gingrich attended , and in Tampa, along.

The win in Florida would have been even bigger for Romney, but the state was penalized by the Republican National Committee for moving up its primary date, getting stripped of half of its 99 delegates.

Florida is expected to again be a battleground state in the 2012 general election. In 2008, Barack Obama took 50 percent of the vote, narrowly edging Republican Sen. John McCain's 48 percent.

What's Next

Romney has taken 84 delegates — but needs a total of 1,144 to win the Republican nomination.

Now the campaign trail shifts to Nevada and Maine for their caucuses on Feb. 4.