Alabama and Mississippi hold bitter Republican primary

The religious state of Alabama and Mississippi held on Tuesday bitter Republican primary in which the conservative Newt Gingrich fight to stay in contention and the moderate Mitt Romney seeks to consolidate itself as the only favorite to run for president with Barack Obama.

The difference between Romney and Gingrich in Mississippi fell to just two points advantage for the former president of the Chamber of Deputies, 33% versus 31%, according to a survey by Public Policy Polling released on Monday, in which Rick Santorum appears with 27% and Ron Paul at 7%.

Alabama the difference is less than a period (27% vs 26.8% in favor of Romney), according to the Real Clear Politics.

"I believe we'll win in two (states)," Gingrich told the press, trusting that his only two victories in the South, South Carolina and Georgia, will be enough to win in a conservative field.

Voters go to the polls thinking about the "best candidate" capable of defeating Barack Obama in the presidential election of November 6.

Gingrich "has the experience to do something to put in place the country. And besides, I want to see him defeat Obama," he told AFP Pat Grannan, 67.

Susie Webb and her husband David, both retired, will vote for Romney, considered the strongest candidate to recover the economy.

"I think Obama will win, and that will take us out of this well," said Susie, before completing her husband: "We are not socially conservative. We are fiscally."

On Tuesday 50 delegates are at stake in Alabama, 40 in Mississippi, and Hawaii and Samoa, where elected delegates 20:09, respectively.

A candidate needs 1,144 delegates for the nomination.

So far, the millionaire and former Massachusetts governor Romney won in 17 of the 26 states. Santorum, a devout Catholic, won in seven, two Gingrich and former Congressman Ron Paul at all.

"I need more delegates. If you do this for me reach the goal in a faster pace," said Romney at a rally in Mobile, south Alabama.

Already Santorum reemphasized that the candidate is more conservative and had the support of the Governor of Alabama Robert Bentley.

Mississippi and Alabama are the poorest states in the country and, therefore, candidates promised economic recovery.

"If I'm president, we will cut federal spending, limiting federal spending, and finally we have a balanced budget," Romney said in Birmingham.

In this region, evangelical Christianity is very strong. Therefore, analysts doubt the victory of Romney, a Mormon and less conservative.

The three candidates reinforced their campaigns in the heart of South America, after "Super Tuesday" last week, resorting to populist strategies to lower gas prices and try foods.