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Romney Wins D.C. GOP Straw Poll In Landslide

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Mitt Romney has scored a landslide victory in a straw poll of Republicans in the nation's capital.

Romney collected 72 percent of the vote in Monday night's straw poll at the District of Columbia Republican Committee's annual fundraising dinner. Newt Gingrich was second with 8.7 percent, and Rick Santorum and Ron Paul had 8.1 percent apiece. Roughly 200 people cast ballots.

The district has just over 30,000 registered Republicans, or 6.5 percent of the electorate. The winner of the April 3 presidential primary will earn 16 convention delegates. The candidates haven't spent any time or money campaigning in the district, although Romney supporters handed out stickers at Monday's dinner.

Santorum is not on the ballot in the district, where Republicans tend to be fiscally conservative but socially moderate.

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

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