Mitt Romney won Republican support in Saturday's western Nevada caucuses, but not by the double-digit margins pollsters had predicted.
In Carson City, Romney finished with 37.6 percent compared with 32.2 percent for Newt Gingrich. Ron Paul and Rick Santorum picked up 15.3 and 14.4 percent, respectively, among the 1,738 who participated.
That turnout, as throughout the state, was a disappointment. Carson Republican Central Committee spokesman Carol Howell had earlier said they were preparing for as many as 5,000.
Statewide, the turnout was significantly less than in 2008, which some attributed to memories of the disorganization and bad management of those caucuses.
Washoe County also gave Romney a solid victory with 41.5 percent of the vote to Gingrich's 24.4 percent. Paul followed closely with 22 percent, and Santorum captured 12.9 percent.
In Douglas County, Romney garnered 41.3 percent of the vote to Gingrich's 29.7 percent. Santorum took third with 15.7 percent, and Paul trailed at 13.3 percent.
In Lyon County, Romney won 37.6 percent, followed by 32.2 percent for Gingrich. Santorum won 17.6 percent, beating Paul who took 15.3 percent.
In Storey County, Romney narrowly edged Paul with 28.2 percent of the vote to 27.7 percent. Gingrich was close behind at 25.5 percent and Santorum took 18.6 percent. Storey is probably the most evenly divided of Nevada's 17 counties.
Lyon County results weren't available at press time.
Romney did surprisingly well in rural counties, including Churchill, Lander, Pershing and Eureka - the areas in which he was expected to have the most trouble.
But as he did in 2008, Paul scored a victory in Nye County - 45.6 percent to 29.2 percent over Romney - and picked up Esmeralda County with 33.9 to 32.2 percent.
In western Nevada, Assemblyman Randy Kirner, R-Reno, pretty much summed up the feelings of several people questioned at the Carson City and Galena High caucus sites: "I think all our candidates are better (than Obama), but Romney has the best shot."
A number of recognizable faces in the Carson caucus said they are Romney backers, including Carson Supervisor Shelly Aldean.
Gingrich, Paul and Santorum supporters, however, were more enthusiastic.
James Killebrew said he voted for Gingrich, who helped to lead a conservative revival in the 1990s. At the same time, Killebrew said, Romney as governor of Massachusetts "kind of threw conservatism under the bus."
A GOP staffer who asked not to be identified said simply, "Mr. Romney gives me the willies." She said she was a Gingrich supporter.
Regent and former Assemblyman Ron Knecht said he was backing Gingrich first, but would accept Romney as a second choice.
Lawyer and former supervisor's candidate Day Williams said he was backing Santorum.
