Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has clinched his party's
presidential nomination after winning the Texas primary Tuesday. The
primary drew little national attention, however, because Romney's main
rivals had dropped out of the contest.
Romney clinched the Republican presidential nomination with little
fanfare in a contest that was really no contest at all. The former
Massachusetts governor needed only 58 of the lonestar state's 152
delegates to reach the 1,144 needed to win the nomination. Romney did
not visit Texas in the days before the primary vote and spent Tuesday
campaigning in two states that could be close in November, Nevada and
Colorado.
But many Texas voters came to the polls to support local and state
candidates, giving little notice to the Romney effort to wrap up the
nomination here. One Montgomery County voter, who called himself Johnny,
says he voted because he is not happy with any of the people who hold
office now.
"I just want some change," he said. "These people who have been in there
for so many years, I would like to give some other people a chance to
make some changes because I don't like the way things are going right
now."
Discontent with established political leaders drove many Texas voters to
back former state solicitor-general Ted Cruz. He hopes to win the
Republican nomination for the Senate seat being vacated by Kay Bailey
Hutchison, who is retiring. Cruz had backing from some Tea Party groups
and some national conservative figures like former Alaska Governor Sarah
Palin.
Party leaders, including Texas Governor Rick Perry, back Lieutenant
Governor David Dewhurst. He has also counted on support from national
conservative figures like former Arkansas governor and presidential
candidate Mike Huckabee. Cruz and Dewhurst will face each other in a
run-off.
The
Dewhurst-Cruz clash echoes other recent contests around the country in
which candidates seen as representing the political establishment have
been challenged by candidates claiming to be more conservative. Earlier
this month, Republican Senator Richard Lugar lost the Indiana primary
race to state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, who was a Tea Party favorite.
Lugar, who has held the Senate seat since 1977, was portrayed as being
out of touch with the state he represents and too willing to compromise
with Democrats.
Mitt Romney faced similar attacks in his long fight for the nomination,
with several candidates running to his right and criticizing his record
as governor of Massachusetts, from 2003 to 2007. In trying to defend his
conservative convictions, Romney took positions that many analysts say
may put him at a disadvantage running against President Barack Obama, a
Democrat, in the November election, when more moderate, independent
voters will likely hold more sway. But those same analysts say the
election is likely to be decided on the question of which candidate can
better address economic concerns and create jobs. With the election
still five months away, both Romney and President Obama are raising
funds and developing campaign strategies, in an effort to present their
separate cases on that crucial issue.
