Santorum takes two

By R.M. | WASHINGTON, DC

WHEN all the votes are counted from Tuesday's Republican primaries, Mitt Romney may well end up having won the most delegates. But it was Rick Santorum's night, as he took the big prizes in Alabama and Mississippi. Despite being massively outspent by the Romney campaign and its allies (see chart), Mr Santorum was able to rally the party's Southern base, appealing to those who valued conservatism and morality over electability.

"This is all about getting delegates," Mr. Romney said before the polls closed. But it is now likely to be at least two months before the front-runner is able to reach the 1,144 delegates needed to win the nomination. And tonight's results suggest that if he does make it across the finish line, he may be crawling. It is unlikely that either Mr Santorum or Newt Gingrich, who will stay in the race despite having won only two of 27 states thus far, can catch Mr Romney in terms of delegates. But both seem intent on preventing Mr Romney from reaching a majority, while building up enough doubt in his candidacy to force a brokered convention.