SALT LAKE CITY - Mitt Romney was the winner of the Republican primary in the Mormon stronghold of Utah Tuesday evening while Barack Obama led in the Democratic Party contest.

The win gave Romney 36 delegates while the 23 Democratic delegates will be parceled out on a proportional basis.

The Salt Lake Tribune pegged Romney with more than 80 percent of the GOP vote with John McCain pulling just 10 percent. Romney is a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints, and Utah is a heavy Mormon state.

Obama had a narrow lead over Hillary Clinton, according to the early returns.

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