Romney wins big in Nevada, Gingrich battles for second

US: Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney romped to victory in the Nevada caucuses Saturday, US media predicted, cementing him as frontrunner to take on President Barack Obama in November.

And former House speaker Newt Gingrich was only a few points ahead of libertarian congressman Ron Paul in a battle for second place, CNN and Fox television channels said.

Official figures by the Nevada Republican Party, with 12.5 percent of votes counted, gave Romney 40.8 percent, against 26.2 percent for Gingrich, 19.2 percent for Paul and 13.6 percent for Santorum.

Gingrich, who scored an upset win by taking South Carolina last month, is struggling to stay in the race in face of Romney’s superior funds and well-oiled campaign machine.

AFP