Romney holding comfortable lead in Fla., with 34 percent counted

TAMPA, Fla. (AP)

Mitt Romney jumped to a commanding lead in the Florida primary tonight, rebounding powerfully from the previous week's defeat and reaching for a resounding victory over Newt Gingrich in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Returns from 34 percent of the state's precincts showed Romney with 48 percent of the vote, to 31 percent for Gingrich.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum had 13 percent, and Texas Rep. Ron Paul 7 percent. Neither mounted a substantial effort in the state.

The winner-take-all primary is worth 50 Republican National Convention delegates.