Mitt Hits the Magic Number

Mitt Romney has officially secured himself the Republican nomination by winning the required 1,144 delegates.

The final delegates came from the Texas primary, May 29, where Romney picked up 69% of the vote and 105 delegates.  Since Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich suspended their campaigns Romney has been the “presumptive” GOP nominee.

Some of these delegates are “unbound” which means that they could technically opt to vote for different candidates.  However, because most of these delegates are “bound,” and Romney has such a large lead, any other candidate doesn’t stand much of a chance at the Republican Convention (to be held in Tampa, Florida from August 27-30).

Post-Texas Romney holds 1191 delegates.  The closest competitor is Santorum with 265 delegates.  Gingrich holds 138 and Ron Paul holds 137 delegates.  552 delegates are still up for grabs.  Gingrich, Santorum, and Paul have all suspended their campaigns.

The only state that has more delegates than Texas is California, which deals out 172 delegates.  California will hold its election on June 5.

Socially conservative candidate Michele Bachmann won her first delegate in the entire election on the 29th, and John Huntsman won his second, the first of which was in New Hampshire.

Romney sent out a press release after the election results were available.  In the release, Romney said, “I am honored that Americans across the country have given their support to my candidacy, and I am humbled to have won enough delegates to become the Republican Party’s 2012 presidential nominee.”

Reince Priebus, the chairmen of the Republican national Committee, said that Romney would “offer Americans the new direction we so desperately need.”

Romney will face off against Obama in the upcoming presidential election this November.