WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney picked up two more Republican primary victories on Tuesday, claiming the GOP contests in Arkansas and Kentucky.
Both outcomes were widely expected, as Romney is already the GOP's presumptive nominee with no active competition for the party's nod for the presidential election in November against Barack Obama.
Heading into the day's action, Romney had 989 delegates. Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum was a distant second with 259, followed by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich at 141 and Texas congressman Ron Paul at 108 - although those last three have all suspended their campaigns in the face of certain defeat.
Romney had approximately 70 percent of the vote in both states.
There are 42 delegates up for grabs in Kentucky, plus 33 in Arkansas as Romney edges ever closer to the magic clinching number of 1,144 to officially claim his party's nomination.
Romney can clinch on May 29 in the Texas primary, which has 155 delegates at stake.
After Texas, there are primaries in California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota on June 5. Then primary season comes to an end on June 26 in Utah.
The Republican National Convention is August 27 to 30 in Tampa.
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