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South Carolina poll: Early results suggest Gingrich win | |
(40 minutes later) | |
Partial results suggest Newt Gingrich has convincingly beaten Mitt Romney in South Carolina's primary, the latest leg of the battle for the Republican candidacy in the US presidential poll. | |
With 70% of the vote counted, Mr Gingrich had 40% to Mr Romney's 26%. | |
Mr Romney was widely seen as the frontrunner, but the latest outcome is set to turn the race into a long, hard-fought campaign, correspondents say. | |
The South Carolina victor has won the nomination in each election since 1980. | The South Carolina victor has won the nomination in each election since 1980. |
Other Republican hopefuls, former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum and Texas representative Ron Paul are trailing badly, with 18% and 13% respectively. | |
Knockout punch plea | |
US networks called the vote in the former House speaker's favour shortly after polls closed at 19:00 local time on Saturday (00:00 GMT Sunday), as exit polls predicted a wide margin of victory for Mr Gingrich. | |
It looks like victory for Newt, and a big one. If it is true, it is important. | It looks like victory for Newt, and a big one. If it is true, it is important. |
All along the story of this race has been the search by Conservatives for an alternative to Mitt Romney. | All along the story of this race has been the search by Conservatives for an alternative to Mitt Romney. |
It's just possible they have settled on Gingrich. | It's just possible they have settled on Gingrich. |
At the very least such a result would puncture the sense that eventually Romney will triumph. It slows his momentum. | At the very least such a result would puncture the sense that eventually Romney will triumph. It slows his momentum. |
And I suspect that it will mean the race will get very nasty indeed. | And I suspect that it will mean the race will get very nasty indeed. |
One thing I wouldn't take too seriously. | One thing I wouldn't take too seriously. |
Ever since 1980, the Republican winner of the South Carolina race has gone on to win the party's nomination. | Ever since 1980, the Republican winner of the South Carolina race has gone on to win the party's nomination. |
It is an interesting historical fact but it is certainly not an iron law. | It is an interesting historical fact but it is certainly not an iron law. |
BBC North America editor Mark Mardell, in South Carolina, says that if confirmed, a Gingrich win is important, because all along the story of this race has been the search by Conservatives for an alternative to Mitt Romney. | |
It is just possible they have settled on Mr Gingrich, and at the very least such a result will puncture the sense that eventually Mr Romney will triumph, our correspondent adds. | It is just possible they have settled on Mr Gingrich, and at the very least such a result will puncture the sense that eventually Mr Romney will triumph, our correspondent adds. |
Shortly after the vote, Mr Gingrich wrote on Twitter: "Thank you South Carolina! Help me deliver the knockout punch in Florida," referring to the next nominating contest on 31 January. | Shortly after the vote, Mr Gingrich wrote on Twitter: "Thank you South Carolina! Help me deliver the knockout punch in Florida," referring to the next nominating contest on 31 January. |
The contest for that state is now seen as crucial, being a major battleground state in the US general election, with a diverse electorate and where a lot of money will be spent campaigning. | The contest for that state is now seen as crucial, being a major battleground state in the US general election, with a diverse electorate and where a lot of money will be spent campaigning. |
Mr Romney told his supporters they were "three contests into a long primary season" and vowed to fight for every vote in every state. | Mr Romney told his supporters they were "three contests into a long primary season" and vowed to fight for every vote in every state. |
Meanwhile, Mr Santorum pledged to fight on, saying "it's a wide open race". | |
Mr Gingrich has captured the headlines in recent days, batting off a potentially damaging interview from an ex-wife, in which she said he had wanted an "open marriage". | Mr Gingrich has captured the headlines in recent days, batting off a potentially damaging interview from an ex-wife, in which she said he had wanted an "open marriage". |
Assuming Mr Gingrich's victory is confirmed, it means that three different candidates have won the first three nominating state-by-state contests: Mr Santorum narrowly beat Mr Romney in the Iowa caucus, while Mr Romney claimed the New Hampshire primary. | Assuming Mr Gingrich's victory is confirmed, it means that three different candidates have won the first three nominating state-by-state contests: Mr Santorum narrowly beat Mr Romney in the Iowa caucus, while Mr Romney claimed the New Hampshire primary. |
All contenders agree that this will now be an endurance race, rather than the quick sprint which Team Romney had hoped for, the BBC's Steve Kingstone says. | |
Mr Romney must now adapt his strategy, and come up with a more decisive riposte to those who criticise his personal wealth and career record as a venture capitalist, our correspondent says. | |
Expect a brutal media war in Florida, he adds. | |
Mr Romney set the tone in his post-defeat address, accusing Newt Gingrich of aligning himself with President Obama in a "frontal assault on free enterprise". For his part, Gingrich will counter that the "Massachusetts moderate" is the real Obama clone. | |
Primaries and caucuses will be held in every US state over the next few months to pick a Republican nominee before the eventual winner is anointed at the party convention in August to take on Democratic President Barack Obama in November. | Primaries and caucuses will be held in every US state over the next few months to pick a Republican nominee before the eventual winner is anointed at the party convention in August to take on Democratic President Barack Obama in November. |