Newt Shows Mitt How to Win Home State!

Newt Gingrich wins Georgia! As of 9:48 P.M. Tuesday night, the former speaker won 48.7 percent of the vote, Rick Santorum won 20.7 percent and Mitt Romney won 23.5. Ron Paul won 6.2 of the votes, while candidates who have dropped out of the race received the remaining percentages. Michelle Bachman won 0.2 percent, John Huntsman 0.2, Gary Johnson 0.1, Buddy Roemer 0.1, and Rick Perry 0.2 percent.

In Pickens County, Gingrich won 2759 votes, Rick Santorum 797 and Mitt Romney won 1183. Ron Paul won 280 votes, while candidates who have dropped out of the race received the remaining percentages. Michelle Bachman received 5 votes, John Huntsman 3, Gary Johnson 6, Buddy Roemer 6 and Rick Perry 8.

So what does this mean for the Gingrich campaign? In one sense it means momentum. The Georgia-win could give Gingrich enough momentum to get to the Republican Convention in August, when the party will decide on a candidate. But, it also gives the former speaker statistical ammunition against Romney. Where Romney only marginally won his home-state of Michigan, Gingrich overwhelmingly won his home-state of Georgia with a wide arc.

In the Michigan Primary, Romney won 42 percent of the vote, only passing Santorum by five percentage points. Gingrich, however, is expected to win his home state of Georgia by approximately 15 to 20 percentage points.

Tonight’s results are based on projections. However, the margin was wide enough for Gingrich that the confidence level of the speaker’s victory is imminent. FYN will report the final numbers on Wednesday.