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Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney won the Nevada caucus Saturday, maintaining strong front-runner status in the race to the nomination. (AFP/Getty Images)

Romney Vows To Take Nevada's Vote To Washington

Feb 5, 2012 (Weekend Edition Sunday) — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney won the Nevada caucus Saturday by a wide margin, with Newt Gingrich in a distant second. Romney soared ahead in part because of the state's large Mormon population, but he was dominant across a broad swath of demographics.

There was no 11th-hour surprise in the Nevada caucuses Saturday night. The first state in the West to vote in the Republican presidential race chose Mitt Romney, who won with support from a broad base and left his rivals trailing behind.

No Thanks To You, Mr. President

Nevada has been Romney country since at least 2008. That year, he took about half the vote in the caucuses but lost the Republican nomination to John McCain.

This year, he has his sights set higher.

"You know, this is not the first time you gave me your vote of confidence, and this time I'm gonna take it to the White House," he said in his victory speech.

Romney took no chances with Nevada. He visited here more than any other Republican candidate. His message that President's Obama's economic policies have failed goes over well in a state that's at the heart of the housing bust and the unemployment crisis.

"I've walked in Nevada neighborhoods blighted by abandoned homes, where people wonder why Barack Obama failed them. Well, Mr. President, Nevada has had enough of your kind of help," he said Saturday.

It's a little trickier for Romney to make this argument now than it was just a few days ago. Friday's hiring numbers showed much higher than expected job growth. Unemployment is now the lowest it's been in three years, at 8.3 percent.

Romney said Obama cannot take credit for that.

"Mr. President, we welcome any good news on the jobs front," he said, "but it is thanks to the innovation of the American people and the private sector, and not to you, Mr. President."

Motives For Voting

At least in Nevada, the economy remains bad enough that Romney's argument resonates. Suzy Soleimani had to sell her house in Ohio at a loss when she moved here. Now she faces the same situation trying to sell her current home, which she says is half it's original price. She says she lost about $500,000 on the first home and will lose "probably more than a million" on the current one.

Soleimani's family is from Iran, and she's also frustrated that Obama has not done more to support protesters there.

"So hopefully we will have a strong voice to rescue, to go to help these people that ... are very helpless," she says.

One more reason this state is so friendly to Romney is that Nevada has a large Mormon population. About one-fourth of Nevada's caucus attendees Saturday were Mormon, and they almost all voted for Romney.

Still, he was dominant across a broad swath of demographics. Romney even won among self-described Tea Party and conservative voters.

For runner-up Newt Gingrich, that's a bad sign.

Gingrich: Here To Stay

"The establishment has closed ranks and made quite clear that they're desperate over the prospect of a Gingrich presidency," Gingrich said.

Gingrich didn't bother with a rally Saturday. He held a news conference at the Venetian Hotel. That casino's owner, Sheldon Adelson, has put millions of dollars behind Gingrich.

The former House speaker said he is as determined as ever to stay in the race. Though he seemed visibly tired, he also gave no indication of letting up the attacks on Romney.

"The vast majority of Republicans across the country are going to want an alternative to a Massachusetts moderate who has in his career been pro-abortion, pro-gun control, pro-tax increase, and who ranked third from the bottom in creating jobs in the four years he was governor," Gingrich said.

'Bold Contrasts'

The last two candidates were not even in Nevada when results came in. Third-place finisher Ron Paul addressed college students at Bethel University.

"Sounds like the revolution has already come to Minnesota," he said.

Coming in a distant fourth was Rick Santorum, who skipped these caucuses to focus on next week's contests.

In Greeley, Colo., he argued that if Republicans nominate Romney or Gingrich, "then we will not win this election. We will win this election if we have someone who goes out and paints bold contrasts, someone that America trusts to do what in our heart we know needs to be done."

Next up: caucuses on Tuesday in Colorado and Minnesota. Romney won both of those states in 2008.

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