Exit Polling: Romney Wins Maryland Primary

Mitt Romney has won the Maryland Republican presidential primary, according to multiple news outlets.

At 8:30 p.m., Romney leads Rick Santorum 14,483 (53 percent) to 7,241 (27 percent) with nine of 1,846 precincts reporting.

"I voted for Romney, he's the lesser of the evils," said Lisa Watts of Darnestown, MD.

Shawn Dancik, 38, , offered similar reasons for why he voted for Romney.

“I'm a fiscal conservative,” Dancik said. “I don't see any candidates strongly behind that position.”

Chuck Duvall also of Darnestown, said he voted for Ron Paul, but expected Romney to win the Maryland primary. Both he and his wife, Ruth, said they planned to support Romney against Democratic incumbent President Barack Obama even though he wasn't their primary selection.

But CNN declared Romney the winner at 8 p.m. when polls in Maryland and Washington closed.

There are 36 delegates up for grabs in Maryland apportioned by congressional district. The winner of each district earns three delegates who are committed to that respective candidate. The balance goes to the candidate who wins the state.

Obama is running unopposed in Maryland and has nearly 91 percent of the vote in the Democratic Primary.

North Potomac-Darnestown Patch Editor Greg Cohen and Germantown Patch Editor Tiffany Arnold contributed to this story.