Mitt Romney has won the Virginia Republican presidential primary, according to the Associated Press.

Romney was the clear favorite in the state, where just two Republican candidates – Romney and Ron Paul – had qualified for the ballot.

Forty-nine delegates are at stake in that race, and Romney is likely to win all or nearly all of them. Thirteen of the delegates will be awarded to the candidate who wins 50% or more of the vote and an additional 33 delegates will be awarded by congressional district.

The primary was called based on exit polls, as precinct results were just starting to come in after polls closed at 7 p.m.


John McCain won the state’s GOP primary in 2008 with 50% of the vote to Mike Huckabee’s 41%.

In the 2008 general election, Barack Obama carried Virginia, becoming the first Democratic presidential nominee to win the state sinceLyndon B. Johnson swamped Barry Goldwater in 1964.

Most polls consider Virginia a Republican-leaning battleground state this fall.

kim.geiger@latimes.com