Romney wins GOP primaries in Arkansas, Kentucky

In this May 8, 2012 file photo, Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks in Lansing, Mich. Romney is looking to pad his lead in the race for convention delegates in Republican presidential primaries Tuesday in Arkansas and Kentucky as he inches closer to the nomination he's all but certain to win.
In this May 8, 2012 file photo, Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks in Lansing, Mich. Romney is looking to pad his lead in the race for convention delegates in Republican presidential primaries Tuesday in Arkansas and Kentucky as he inches closer to the nomination he's all but certain to win.

Mitt Romney has swept the Kentucky and Arkansas Republican presidential primaries, inching closer to the GOP nomination he is certain to win.

With no serious opposition left, the former Massachusetts governor easily won both contests.

Romney is within 110 delegates of winning the nomination, a threshold he should reach next week, when voters go to the polls in Texas.

Romney had previously struggled in some Southern states, when other Republican candidates were still actively campaigning. Tuesday's contests gave him an opportunity to display solid support in two states he should win in November.

Romney has been in general election mode for weeks, spending much of his time fundraising and focusing on Democratic President Barack Obama.

Here are the results from 49 of 2,370 precincts.

Mitt Romney had 19,867, 72 percent.

Rick Santorum had 3,215, 12 percent.

Ron Paul had 3,185, 12 percent.

Newt Gingrich had 1,243, 5 percent.

Upcoming Events