Rick Santorum has won Republican primaries in Mississippi and Alabama, a surprising Deep South sweep that signals Santorum is consolidating support among the party's conservatives. Both of the wins were narrow: just a few points separated Santorum from rivals Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich in both states. The larger lesson of the night was that this long-running primary - far from leading the party to unite behind a favorite - has left Republicans divided stubbornly into thirds. But for Santorum, the two close wins were still an enormous boost. The former Pennslyvania senator had piled up victories in the Midwest, but Tuesday's results showed he could also win on Gingrich's home turf. "We did it again," Santorum told supporters in Lafayette, La., where the GOP will hold a primary March 24. He said he would go on to campaign in Puerto Rico, Missouri and other upcoming states. "We will compete everywhere." "The time is now for conservatives to pull together," Santorum said. "The time is now to make sure - to make sure - that we have the best chance to win this election. And the best chance to win this election is to nominate a conservative. We are going to win this nomination before that convention."
