US News

Romney wins Texas primary, clinches Republican nomination

AUSTIN, Texas — Mitt Romney on Tuesday night won the Texas primary, FOX News Channel reported, claiming enough delegates to secure the Republican presidential nomination.

With less than two percent of precincts reporting, Romney had 71.4 percent of the vote to Ron Paul’s 10 percent. Despite both dropping out of the race, Rick Santorum had 7.3 percent of the vote and Newt Gingrich 4.6 percent.

Romney has been the presumptive GOP nominee since his last serious challenger, Santorum, bowed out in April.

But by winning Texas — which offers 155 delegates — the former Massachusetts governor claimed the last of the 1,144 delegates needed to accept the Republican Party’s nomination at its convention in late August.

“#1144. Thank You. Whatever challenges lie ahead, we will settle for nothing less than getting America back on the path to prosperity,” Romney tweeted shortly after his victory was called, referencing the magic 1,144 delegate number.