Romney Sweeps Five States in Latest Primary Push [VIDEO]

Mitt Romney has completed a five-state sweep of Republican presidential primaries, adding a victory in New York to earlier wins in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Delaware.

The five primaries held Tuesday are the first since Rick Santorum suspended his presidential campaign two weeks ago, essentially conceding the GOP nomination to Romney.

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Romney told supporters Tuesday in Manchester, N.H., that, in his words, “Tonight is the start of a new campaign.”

The former Massachusetts governor is blasting Obama as a man whose time in office has been marked by what Romney calls “false promises and
weak leadership” in a time of economic struggle.

Romney is still about 400 delegates short of the number he needs to formally gain his party’s presidential nomination this summer at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. There are 209 delegates at stake in Tuesday’s five primaries and they are generally awarded on a proportional basis.

Newt Gingrich had campaigned heavily in Delaware, hoping for a win there. Pennsylvania is also a notable win for Romney, because it is Santorum’s home state.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)