Romney Wins Locally with Mixed Enthusiasm

Former Governor Mitt Romney swept away the competition in Marlborough and most of Massachusetts during the 2012 presidential primary held Tuesday.

In Marlborough, . This was a 16.15 percent of turnout of registered votes in the city, much higher than the four percent that had showed by mid-afternoon to vote in nearby Boston. 

Romney's victory in Massachusetts was no surprise to anyone. Prior to the election local officials voiced their support.

"On Tuesday, I will be supporting Mitt Romney for President," said State Rep. Steven Levy (R-Marlborough). "Mitt is the only candidate, on either side, who has the experience to bring the national focus back to jobs and help turn the economy around. Mitt's experience as Governor of Massachusetts will help him work with both parties in Washington to end the gridlock and pass meaningful legislation to get our country back on the right track. I truly believe Mitt is the best candidate and our best hope for winning the Presidency in November and I hope all Republicans in Massachusetts will join me in supporting him."

Though the win in Massachusetts was expected, Romney faced tougher battles elsewhere in the country, with him only winning Ohio by one percentage point over Rick Santorum.

Political commentators and operatives expect an uphill battle for Romney should he eventually become the nominee because of tepid enthusiasm in the Republican party, and indifference among independents. Also, many Tea Party voters are expected to back Santorum. 

Still, many feel Romney is the best option in an underwhelming field.

"I’m one of the guys who isn’t too excited about the field, but I will be voting for Mitt Romney because I feel like he has the best chance at winning an election in November, which is the ultimate goal," said Ward 3 City Councilman Matt Elder. 

Marlborough's Republican mayor Arthur Vigeant did not respond to a request for comment.

Based on statewide results, the delegates won in Tuesday primary will be distributed proportionally to anyone with at least 15 percent of the vote, said a recent Huffington Post article.

"Massachusetts will allocate delegates on a proportional basis, so that any candidate receiving at least 15 percent of the vote will receive a share of the delegates that roughly matches his percentage of the vote," said the article.

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