共和党总统参选提名中桑托勒姆三州得胜

Rick Santorum's campaign for the U.S. Republican Party's presidential nomination received a major boost with victories in Tuesday's nominating contests in Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado. With most of the returns counted, the former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania won the Minnesota caucuses with 45 percent of the vote. U.S. Representative Ron Paul came in second with 27 percent and ex-Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, considered the Republican frontrunner, finished a distant third with 17 percent. In the Missouri primary, with all the votes counted, Santorum won 55 percent of the vote, while Romney came in second with 25 percent and Paul finished third with 12 percent.
 
In a victory speech in Missouri late Tuesday, Santorum declared "conservatism is alive and well" in Missouri and Minnesota. He also declared himself the true "conservative alternative" to both Romney and Democratic President Barack Obama. He accused Mr. Obama of arrogance by failing to listen to the American people in their opposition to the bailouts for the financial sector and health care reform. Santorum also pulled off an upset victory over Romney in the Colorado caucuses, winning more than 40 percent of the vote, with Romney earning 35 percent and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich winning 13 percent to finish a distant third place. Romney had won Colorado by a large margin in the 2008 Republican nominating contest. Santorum's triple victories dealt a blow to Romney's status as the favorite to win the Republican nomination. Romney congratulated Santorum during a rally in Denver before the Colorado results were announced, but told the crowd he still expected to become the nominee.