Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts, today took an inaccessible lead over his nearest rival in the Florida primary, which brought him a step closer to bagging the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Barack Obama in November presidential elections.
Emergence of Romney as the front runner in the race to take on Obama is mainly attributed to the avalanche of negative television and radio advertisement campaign against Newt Gingrich, the former House of Representatives Speaker.
Returns from 98% of Florida's precincts showed Romney with 46% of the vote, to Gingrich's 32%.
Gingrich, who created a major upset in the previous South Carolina primary, had polled over 4.25 lakh votes against Romney's 6.3 lakh votes with more than two-thirds of the votes counted in Florida, which was by far the largest of the first four nominating contests.
After his impressive victory, 64-year-old Romney launched a frontal on Obama, accusing him of adopting a weak foreign policy and also creating a weak military.
"President Obama believes that our role as leader in the world is a thing of the past. He's intent on shrinking our military capacity at a time when the world is facing rising threats. I will insist on a military so powerful no one would ever think of challenging it," he said.
"President Obama has adopted a policy of appeasement and apology. I will speak out for those seeking freedom, and I will stand shoulder to shoulder with our friends around the world," said the former Governor of Massachusetts.
"President Obama wants to fundamentally transform America and make it something perhaps we wouldn't recognize. I want to restore to America the values and principles that made us the hope of the Earth, and I'll do it," Romney said.
"Our plans protect freedom and opportunity, and our blueprint is the Constitution of the United States. Together, we will build an America where hope is a new job with a paycheck, not a faded word on an old bumper sticker," he said.
Romney said that if elected, he would repeal the healthcare policy of Obama.
"President Obama demonises and denigrates almost every sector of our economy. I will make America the most attractive place in the world for entrepreneurs, for innovators, for job-creators, and unlike the other people running for president, I know how to do that because I've done it before."
Commenting on Romney's victory, The Washington Post said: "Just 10 days after Gingrich handed Romney a drubbing in the South Carolina primary that had threatened to derail Romney's campaign, Romney returned the favour in Florida, capturing the biggest prize yet in the Republican nominating contest."
The New York Times said: "The commanding win by Romney offered a forceful response to the questions that were raised about his candidacy only 10 days ago after a stinging loss in the South Carolina primary to Gingrich."
The Wall Street Journal said the vote ended a nasty week of campaigning, with Romney and Gingrich trading harsh accusations in person and through millions of dollars in ads.
The two top Republican candidates still have a long way to go before any of them bag the Republican presidential nomination. Rick Santorum, the former Senator from Pennsylvania, and Ron Paul, the Congressman from Texas, are the other two Republicans still in the race.
The Republican presidential campaign now moves to Nevada where the caucus is scheduled for February 4. However, March 6 is the most important date in this race when nearly a dozen States go to primary or caucuses.
Gingrich has said he would continue his fight till the Republican Party Convention in Tampa, Florida in August later this year.