Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who ran as a son of Michigan though he left the state nearly 40 years ago, won a commanding victory on Tuesday in the Republican primary here with a message aimed at voters deeply anxious about the state’s ailing economy.

Romney defeated his principal rival John McCain by winning a clear plurality of Republicans and conservatives, who turned out in greater numbers than they had in the 2000 primary, which McCain won.

“Tonight marks the beginning of a comeback,” Romney said in declaring victory at a hotel rally in Southfield. “Tonight is a victory of optimism over Washington-style pessimism.”

Romney needed a victory in Michigan to save his candidacy after finishing second to McCain in New Hampshire and to Mike Huckabee in Iowa. Huckabee finished third in Michigan.

With 97 per cent of the electoral precincts reporting, Romney had 39 per cent of the vote, compared with 30 per cent for McCain and 16 per cent for Huckabee. Ron Paul, the antiwar congressman from Texas, came in fourth with 6 per cent of the vote.

Romney’s victory here means three different Republican candidates have won each of the first three major contests. The race moves to South Carolina and Nevada this weekend with no clear front-runner and two credible candidates, Rudolph W Giuliani and former Fred D Thompson, yet to seriously contest a state.

Katon Dawson, the Republican chairman in South Carolina, declared the race for the party’s nomination wide open.

In conceding defeat on Tuesday, McCain congratulated Romney, but said he would be direct about the problems facing the economy.

... contd.