Propelled by voters who were heavily influenced by the pre-primary debates, and a strong evangelical showing, Gingrich claimed a landslide victory, winning virtually every county in the Palmetto State save for a handful that went to Romney.◼ And The Winner Is . . . Newt Gingrich - Including Among Women, Independents & Those Voting On Electability - Wolf Howling
"It's not that I am a good debater," Gingrich said in his victory speech tonight, surrounded by his family and an enthusiastic crowd of supporters. "It's that I articulate the deepest-felt values of the American people."
Praising all three of his rivals, Gingrich, who made more than $3 million in 2010, per his tax return, repeatedly berated Washington and New York "elites."
The polls are closed in South Carolina and the last kazoo has sounded. Fox projected the winner of the South Carolina Republican primary to be Newt Gingrich as soon as the polls ended. Update: The final tally is Gingrich 41%, Romney 27%, Santorum 17%, Paul 13%.◼ SC Primary Tweets of Night - Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion
Just the fact of Gingrich's win puts a huge dent in the aura of inevitability Mitt Romney has attempted to paint since the start of the race. But it is the exit polls that are truly eye opening.
◼ South Carolina: The Undiscovered Country; UPDATE: Gingrich Wins - Patterico
◼ South Carolina Primary Open Thread; Update: Gingrich Wins - Michelle Malkin
