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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46100793/ns/politics-primaries/t/conservatives-evangelical-christians-rebuff-romney/

Conservatives, evangelical Christians rebuff Romney

Mitt Romney failed to appeal to conservative, lower-income, and evangelical Christian voters in the state

By Tom Curry
updated 1/23/2012 10:48:01 AM ET 2012-01-23T15:48:01

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who just a few days ago seemed poised to capitalize on his New Hampshire primary victory to win South Carolina, failed to appeal to conservative, lower-income, and evangelical Christian voters in the state, which led to Saturday’s victory for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

And exit poll interviews indicated that South Carolina Republicans emphatically disagreed with the judgment of their GOP counterparts in New Hampshire that Romney was the Republican best able to beat President Barack Obama in November. snip

Born-again or evangelical Christians accounted for nearly two-thirds of the electorate and Gingrich easily beat Romney in that group: 44 percent to 21 percent.

Three out of five voters interviewed in the exit poll said that it mattered somewhat or greatly whether a candidate shared their religious views and Gingrich beat Romney by better than two to one among such voters.