Romney snares Ohio prize in tight race

Many Ohio Republicans waited a long time to make up their minds, and not a moment too soon for presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

After a race filled with lead changes and indecision, the former Massachusetts governor grabbed the most coveted Super Tuesday prize with a 1-percent edge over Rick Santorum. Many voters said they chose him in the final days of the campaign.

Exit polls indicated Romney benefited from support by voters concerned about the economy and choosing the Republican candidate they think stands the best chance against President Barack Obama in November.

Don Ryan, 71, voted for Romney in suburban Cincinnati.

"He has less baggage than the others and more money to help him against Obama," Ryan said. He said he would have liked to have seen other GOP candidates and that he is not sure Romney is really conservative.

Santorum fared better among Christian evangelicals and other social conservatives, and had support from most sections of Ohio. But Romney got a winning boost from the state's biggest metro areas, such as Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland that are ringed by vote-rich suburbs.

A key Ohio supporter of Romney, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, called the victory a milestone that shows Romney is the candidate for November.

"We've had a spirited primary season, but after tonight's come-from-behind win here in Ohio, it is time for us to turn our attention towards Barack Obama's failed record," Portman said in a statement.

Ohio's Democratic Party chairman, Chris Redfern, dismissed Romney's win as "embarrassingly narrow" and said his campaign showed he wouldn't be able to connect with women, moderate and blue-collar voters he would need to win the presidency.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting unofficial returns, Santorum was 12,040 votes behind, or a little more than 1 percentage point, with 439,932 votes. While the margin was tight, state officials said it was big enough to avoid triggering an automatic recount.

Former House speaker Newt Gingrich was third, at 15 percent, in the state that lies between Romney's native Michigan and Santorum's home state of Pennsylvania. U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who largely bypassed Ohio, was running fourth at 9 percent.

Polls have tracked voter volatility among Ohio Republicans for months. Pizza magnate Herman Cain, Gingrich and Santorum all led state polls, but were each leapfrogged by Romney.

For Ohioans weary of the heavy TV and radio ad blitzes in recent days, the respite is temporary. Ohio is expected to be crucial again in November.

Obama carried it in 2008, after the state clinched George W. Bush's re-election in 2004.