Romney Fights Off Gingrich, Takes Big Win in Florida

(Newsroom America) -- Mitt Romney has managed to curtail yet another attempt at a comeback from Newt Gingrich, dispatching his main rival for the GOP presidential nomination with a huge victory in Florida's winner-take-all primary Tuesday.

Along with his ability to bring together the bulk of Florida's Republican voters Romney - no doubt using personal skills he developed as a Republican governor in the very blue state of Massachusetts - sounded a conciliatory tone as well to the rest of the GOP field.

"A competitive primary does not divide us," Romney told cheering supporters late Monday evening in Tampa. "It prepares us. And we will win."

Focusing on his main target, President Obama, Romney declared: "I stand ready to lead this party and to lead our nation."

Gingrich, a former Speaker of the House, however, did not concede anything to Romney, despite his 14-point victory. "We are going to contest every place, and we will win," he told supporters in Orlando. Gingrich neither called nor congratulated Romney on his victory.

Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, sensing a new opportunity in such a resounding Gingrich loss, stepped up to proclaim himself as the true conservative choice over Romney, a banner Gingrich tried to hoist, unsuccessfully, in the weeks leading up to yesterday's primary.

"In Florida, Newt Gingrich had his opportunity," Santorum told supporters in Las Vegas. "I’m going to be the conservative alternative, I’m going to be the anti-Mitt,’ and it didn’t work."

Back in the Sunshine State, Romney took the victory as an opportunity to step into the role as eventual nominee, a move accentuated by the fact that the Secret Service has now assigned him protection, the only Republican candidate to warrant it.

"My leadership will end the Obama era and begin a new era of American prosperity. When we gather back here in Tampa seven months from now for our convention, ours will be a united party with a winning ticket for America," he said.

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas finished fourth in the race, a second disappointing finish in a row. But he, too, has refused to yield.

"We’ve only gotten started," he told supporters in Nevada, where the next nomination contest will take place and where Paul senses friendlier ground. "Now that counting really occurs."

© 2012 Newsroom America.

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