COUNTY — Newt Gingrich came from behind to take South Carolina during the state Republican Presidential Primary Election Saturday.
While the results at the Pickens County Registration and Elections Commission remain unofficial until being certified this Thursday, the preliminary reports break down as follows:
Of 64,154 registered voters in Pickens County, 18,827 ballots were cast in the election, a 29.35 percent voter turnout.
Gingrich took the victory in Pickens County, receiving 7,885 votes, 42 percent of ballots cast. Mitt Romney received 3,948 votes (21 percent), and Rick Santorum and Ron Paul shared close numbers with 3,317 votes (17.6 percent) and 3,290 votes (17.5 percent), respectively.
Rick Perry, who recently visited and toured downtown Pickens, dropped out of the election before Saturday’s primary — giving his endorsement to Gingrich, who also visited Pickens County, making a stop at Mutt’s BBQ in Easley last Wednesday as part of his campaign across South Carolina.
How did Pickens County compare with the rest of South Carolina by the numbers?
Gingrich won South Carolina with 40 percent of the ballots cast (243,172 votes). Romney followed Gingrich with 28 percent (167,297 votes) and Santorum and Paul were fairly close again, with Santorum gleaning 17 percent (102,061 votes) and Paul trailing behind with 13 percent (78,000 votes).
Republican candidates are now focused on the state of Florida. The primary election there will be held on Tuesday, January 31, 2012.