Gingrich wins handily in Georgia

ATLANTA, March 6 (UPI) -- Newt Gingrich scored an easy Republican presidential primary victory Tuesday in Georgia, the state he once represented in Congress, election results showed.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that with 2,725 of 2,850 precincts (96 percent) counted, the former U.S. House speaker had 47 percent of the vote (414,153), to 26 percent (224,078) for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, 20 percent (171,121) for former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and 7 percent (56,771) for U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas.

"In the morning, we are going on to Alabama," the Journal-Constitution quoted Gingrich as telling supporters at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel & Convention Center in Cobb County. "We are going onto Mississippi. We are going on to Kansas. And that is just this week.

"With your help, we are going to go on to Tampa and win the nomination."

Gingrich picked up 76 delegates in Georgia as part of the GOP's Super Tuesday -- when more than 400 delegates to the GOP National Convention were at stake in 10 states. It is the second victory for Gingrich, who won South Carolina in January.

Romney led in the delegate count going into the big day with 207, followed by 86 for Santorum, 46 for Paul and 39 for Gingrich, CNN estimated.