Romney Michigan Primary Win Example of 'Political Thuggery': Santorum Campaign

Rick Santorum's campaign has argued that Mitt Romney's narrow victory in the Michigan primary was not a win, but the people who award delegates think otherwise -- and Santorum is not happy about it.

Michigan partially awards delegates based on congressional districts, and by that calculation Michigan was effectively a tie: Romney and Santorum both won seven districts and the two associated delegates, giving them 14 delegates apiece.

But the state also allocates two at-large delegates, and the Republican committee overseeing the process decided by a 4-2 vote to throw both of those delegates to Romney. That makes the Michigan score Romney 16, Santorum 14.

The committee had decided in early February to give both at-large delegates to the winner of the popular vote, Saul Anuzis, one of the members of the committee, said. That seems to contradict a memo sent to the different campaigns explaining that the two at-large delegates will be awarded proportionately.

Santorum Campaign Incensed

Not everyone was pleased with the decision. Santorum's campaign in particular was incensed.

Awarding both delegates to Romney represents the kind of backroom dealing, political thuggery that just cannot happen in America, Santorum spokesman Hogan Gidley said. We never thought the Romney campaign would rig the outcome of the election by changing the rules after the vote, Gidley added.

The one-vote difference might allow Romney's campaign to claim an unequivocal win in Michigan, but the single delegate is unlikely to prove decisive. 1,144 is the magic number of delegates needed to secure the nomination. Romney has so far locked up about half of the available delegates, which amounts to fewer than 200.

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