Elections

Ron Paul’s Minnesota delegate blowout prompts Romney ‘panic,’ says Paul adviser

Steven Nelson Associate Editor
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Minnesota will send 40 delegates to the Republican National Convention. Twenty of the 24 delegates based on congressional districts were awarded to Texas Rep. Ron Paul in selection processes that concluded this weekend.

Thirteen Minnesota delegates will be allocated based on the results of a statewide convention in May, according to Paul campaign senior adviser Doug Wead.

Wead wrote on his blog that GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney is an a “panic” after the Paul landslide. Similar efforts to bolster the Texas congressman’s delegate count are underway in Iowa, Colorado, Maine and other states.

“[A] number of Romney Hawks are now deeply concerned that Ron Paul has already laid the groundwork for similar success in six more caucus states,” Wead wrote.

Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul declined to comment on the record about whether or not Romney is indeed in a panic.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum’s candidacy was seen as the last major hurdle for Romney. His exit from the race gave Romney a clear path to win the delegates needed to clinch the nomination outright.

The Paul campaign is being mum about the prospect of other delegate coups. The libertarian-leaning candidate’s spokesman and campaign manager did not respond when asked if surprising landslides are anticipated in other states.

David Weigel of Slate noted that The Associated Press had projected that Paul would win only 10 delegates in Minnesota, with Romney projected to score 6 and Santorum 17.

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