Toby Talbot / AP Photo
Voters in 10 states went to the polls on Super Tuesday, but it came down to just one contest: Ohio. Mitt Romney squeaked past Rick Santorum in what was a spirited challenge from the former Pennsylvania senator. The win in the Buckeye State capped a night of five victories for Romney, who also won in Massachusetts, Virginia, Vermont, and Idaho.
After Newt Gingrich opened the evening with a big (but expected) win in his home state of Georgia, Romney picked up projected in Vermont, Virginia, and his own stomping ground: Massachusetts. Rick Santorum surged back later in the evening, with wins in Oklahoma, Tennessee, and the non-binding caucuses in North Dakota, a state that Romney won four years ago, pulling the contest at three wins each.
But Romney took a much-needed victory in sparsely-populated Idaho and then finished off the night with a win in Ohio, where he had 38 percent of the vote compared to Santorum's 37 percent. With 99 percent of precints reporting, Romney had 450,543 votes to Santorum's 438,515 in a primary that brought out over 1.24 million voters compared to 1.1 million in 2008.
Ohio: 99 percent reporting; Romney projected winner
Romney 38.0% (450,543) Santorum 37.0% (438,515) Gingrich 15% Paul 9%
Georgia: 97 percent reporting; Gingrich official winner Romney 26% Santorum 20% Gingrich 47% Paul 7%
Vermont: 93 percent reporting; Romney projected winner
Romney 40% Santorum 24% Gingrich 8% Paul 25%
Virginia: 100 percent reporting; Romney official winner
Romney 59.5% Paul 40.5%
Massachusetts: 99 percent reporting; Romney official winner
Romney 72% Santorum 12% Gingrich 5% Paul 10%
Oklahoma: 100 percent reporting; Santorum official winner
Romney 28% Santorum 34% Gingrich 28% Paul 10%
Tennessee: 99 percent reporting; Santorum official winner
Romney 28% Santorum 37% Gingrich 24% Paul 9%
North Dakota: 100 percent reporting; Santorum official winner
Romney 24% Santorum 40% Paul 27% Gingrich 9%
Idaho: 100 percent reporting; Romney projected winner
Romney 62% Santorum 18% Gingrich 2% Paul 18%
Alaska: 96 percent reporting; Romney projected winner
Romney 33%Santorum 29%Gingrich 14%Paul 24%