| Romney rolls to Illinois trouncing |
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Frank Cotolo
March 21, 2012 |
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Mitt Romney was the predicted winner of the Illinois primary barely an hour after the polls closed.
Rick Santorum was the obvious second-place choice of the Midwestern Republicans, while Ron Paul
and Newt Gingrich struggled for third.
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The Romney campaign spent more than seven times what the Santorum campaign spent for media ads,
posters, postcards and enveloped mail pieces, robo-calls, leaflets, buttons, bumper stickers,
adhesive banners, billboards, custom flags, baseball caps, T-shirts, public appearances and
many other promotional items.
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Santorum's camp offered prospective voters white Catholic priest collars that had the words "Vote
for Santorum" printed in red.
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Romney appeared after the prediction, introduced by his wife.
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"This is a great moment," Romney said to cheering supporters in Schaumburg, Illinois. "Elections
are about choices and today hundreds of thousands of people in this state have joined millions
across the country and who knows how many in different countries wishing they could vote for me.
They all want to join our cause.
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"I'm offering a real choice and a new beginning. From the moment I become president that new
beginning starts and the start of that new beginning launches this country in a new direction.
After all, what good is a new beginning without a new direction? I can take us in that new
direction once the new beginning starts. That new direction will lead to new solutions. After
all, what good is a new direction without new solutions? I have the vision and the experience
to get us out of this mess."
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Santorum conceded while in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where he reminded his audience that Lincoln,
who was from the state where he just lost the primary, wrote the address that is named after that
city.
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"This race is not over," Santorum said. "This race is about freedom and how the current
administration is slowly taking away all of our liberties. Is that why so many people died in
Gettysburg? I mean during the Civil War, not after by natural causes and diseases. I mean the
soldiers."
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Newt Gingrich did not speak to his followers, who sources say numbered in the tens. A spokesperson
for Gingrich released a statement.
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"The candidate that outspent Santorum and Gingrich is buying this nomination. If Santorum or
Gingrich had that kind of money they would not think of buying the nomination. Conservatives
don't have to buy nominations. Moderates buy nominations."
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There was not a peep about Gingrich getting out of the race. Santorum also said he is moving on
to Louisiana, which holds its primary on March 24.
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Meanwhile, Ron Paul left Illinois after visiting his favorite Chicago pizza store.
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"This is the only place to get great panned pizza," he told reporters. "I only got a table for me
and my wife because I didn't expect winning any delegates, no less delegates who share my love for
this kind of pizza. The Constitution allows people who live in this state to dislike this pizza.
That's the kind of freedom that is the basis of our message in this campaign. Just don't ask me
where I go next."
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Frank Cotolo can be found
hosting the talk and interview programme Cotolo Chronicles.
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