Oklahoma gives Rick Santorum second Super Tuesday win

Rick Santorum has won the Oklahoma primary, according to an Associated Press projection, giving him a much-needed statewide triumph on Super Tuesday in a dark-red Republican state.

The projection came after Santorum was also declared the victor in Tennessee. The former Pennsylvania senator has now won six nominating contests.

Forty-three delegates were up for grabs in the Sooner State today, making it the fifth-largest cache up for grabs on Super Tuesday. Of that total, 25 will be awarded on a proportional basis to all candidates with more than 15% of the statewide vote.

Another three delegates will be divided on a proportional basis depending on the results in each of the state’s five congressional districts.

Based on initial exit polls, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich look to be in a close race for second. Both would likely take some of the at-large delegates.

Romney, the national front-runner, did not campaign in the state, though he won a late endorsement from Sen. Tom Coburn, a leading budget hawk. Newt Gingrich had been hoping for a potential victory here; a “super PAC” supporting his campaign was the lead spender on television ads in the state.

So far, Romney has won three Super Tuesday states: Massachusetts, Virginia and Vermont. Gingrich prevailed in his home state of Georgia.

In 2008, John McCain narrowly defeated Mike Huckabee in Oklahoma, 37-33%. Romney finished third then with 25% of the vote.

In the general election, Oklahoma was the only state in the nation where McCain won every single county.

michael.memoli@latimes.com