Romney wins caucuses in Hawaii, American Samoa

By Associated Press, Published: March 13 | Updated: Wednesday, March 14, 3:25 AM

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa — Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney , who lost the primaries in Alabama and Mississippi to former senator Rick Santorum, ended the night with smaller wins in Hawaii and American Samoa.

He won the Republican caucuses in Hawaii early Wednesday, getting 45 percent of the vote, followed by Santorum with 25 percent and Ron Paul with 18. Newt Gingrich came fourth with 11 percent.

Earlier, Romney won the caucus in American Samoa, picking up all nine delegates. About 70 Republicans in the U.S. territory located 2,300 miles south of Hawaii met in caucus Tuesday. The six delegates selected at the meeting and three superdelegates to the Republican National Convention all said they would support Romney.

Falemao M. Pili, vice chairman of the local GOP and a delegate, says he believes Romney can fix the U.S. economy that extends to American Samoa. He says Romney can “turn this country around.”

Last weekend, Romney captured all 18 delegates at caucuses in two other U.S. possessions in the Pacific — Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Like American Samoa, residents of those islands are U.S. citizens but are not allowed to vote in the presidential election.

Romney wins caucuses in Hawaii, American Samoa - The Washington Post