Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich surged to the front of the pack and pulled out a victory in South Carolina’s Republican primary tonight. Mr. Gingrich, whose performance in the polls over the last year has been a roller coaster of ups and downs, was immediately declared the winner by Fox News, ABC and NBC News when polls closed at 7pm.
The defeat is the second set back for Mr. Romney in two days. In addition to losing the Palmetto State, his win in Iowa was reversed yesterday to Senator Rick Santorum, who finished in last place tonight of the four candidates still competing for the Republican presidential nomination. Congressman Ron Paul came in third.
