COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Newt Gingrich's large margin victory means it appears he won almost all 25 delegates for the GOP national convention at stake here in South Carolina.
By winning the state he won 11, and the remaining 14 delegates are split up among the winner of each congressional districts, which it appears he won the majority of, as well.
The South Carolina GOP is expected to finalize those results in the next week.
If you'll recall, the South Carolina GOP lost half of its delegates for the national convention when it scheduled its primary earlier than national party rules to maintain its position as first in the south.
However, Chairman Chad Connelly says even with the loss he still believes the party made the right call.
"It's worth it because if we are not first in the south, then we don't have this kind of attention, we don't have this kind of exposure," said Connelly.
Connelly says all the attention on South Carolina was worth about $30 million spent in the state.
"It's a huge blessing, it's a direct impact to our GDP, and its good for everybody in the state of South Carolina," said Connelly.
Connelly says he is hoping there still may be a chance the cut delegates will be restored.
Remember delegates play a significant role only if there is not a clear party nominee going into the national convention.
State GOP officials tell me with as tight as the race is, it could happen. However they say the last time a national convention came down to a delegate count was in 1976.
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