Romney Romps to Triumph in Illinois – Scraps Santorum as “Economic Lightweight”

After defeating Santorum soundly in the Illinois primaries, a jubilant Mitt Romney declared to a cheering crowd and Republicans of the opposite camp: “Elections are about choices, and today hundreds of thousands of people in Illinois have joined millions across the country to join our cause.” With a fast depleting war chest and heavy victories to support his cause, Romney wants the message to get through – it’s time to back him as the real choice.

Romney won 47 percent of the 95 percent counted votes, while Santorum managed 35 percent. Right now, that puts Romney in a position to have twice the number of delegates than Santorum can manage for a nominating convention. In the fight for the required 1,144 delegates needed for a successful nomination, right now, a CNN delegate count shows Romney with 540 delegates while Santorum has a poor showing of only 239.

Continuing in a high note, Romney told both his supporters, as well as his detractors within the Republicans, “I’m offering a real choice and a new beginning … I have the vision and the experience to get us out of this mess.”

Santorum responded to his supporters by saying, “We don’t need a manager … We need someone who is going to pull government up by the roots and throw it out.” This was in obvious reference to Romney’s role as the former head of a private equity firm.

The fun is on with the candidates rolling up their sleeves to have at each other. Prior to the Illinois election, Romney called Santorum an “economic lightweight,” while Santorum accused Romney of being “a Wall Street financier.”

Experts are of the opinion that the present strategy of both Santorum and Newt Gingrich are to keep Romney from winning the number of delegates required for a decisive nomination claim.

It is also worthy to note that Santorum was ineligible for at least ten delegates in Illinois’ because before the election he had failed to identify supporters in at least four congressional districts.

Referring to Obama’s rule that to “a president who doesn’t hesitate to use all the means necessary to force through Obamacare on the American public, but leads from behind in the world … It’s time to say these words, this word: enough. We’ve had enough.”

Adding to his words and the sentiment of his supporters, Romney said, “Tonight was a primary, but November is the general election … And we’re going to face a defining decision as a people. Our choice will not be about party or even personality. This election will be about principle. Our economic freedom will be on the ballot.”