South Carolina poll: Gingrich triumphs over Romney

22 January 2012 Last updated at 04:04 ET Help

Newt Gingrich has convincingly beaten Mitt Romney in South Carolina's primary election, the latest leg in the battle to be the Republican candidate in November's US presidential poll.

With 95% of the vote counted, Mr Gingrich had 41% to Mr Romney's 27%.

Mr Romney had been widely seen as the frontrunner, but the latest outcome is set to turn the race into a long, hard-fought campaign, correspondents say.

Mark Mardell reports.

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