DETROIT — Mitt Romney narrowly won Michigan’s Republican presidential primary Tuesday, dodging a what would have been devastating loss in his native state, but failing to vanquish fears that he can’t win over the party’s conservative base.
Romney eked out a victory over former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, according to unofficial returns. And while Romney’s margin of victory was narrower than expected for a man who was born and raised in Michigan and whose father was once governor here, the victory capped a night in which Romney also sailed to an easy victory in Arizona’s primary.
The Michigan win was nonetheless a huge relief for the Romney campaign as he heads into the critical March 6 Super Tuesday primary with a huge lead in the race to collect convention delegates.
