Romney wins Delaware primary

Mitt Romney will win the Delaware primary Tuesday night, closing the door on one of the last remaining chances for dark horse candidate Newt Gingrich to influence the Republican nomination and edging the former governor closer to officially securing the Republican nomination.

NBC News and CNN projected Romney's win shortly after the polls closed.

Gingrich had hoped to collect the state's 17 winner-take-all delegates, campaigning heavily in the state over the past week. Romney hadn't visited in weeks, providing the former House Speaker a chance to rally downstate conservatives to surprise the presumptive nominee.

But Romney ultimately prevailed, adding to the 685 delegates the Associated Press projected he held entering the evening. Combined with expected wins across the Northeast, Romney's lead over Gingrich's 136 delegates should significantly grow Tuesday night.

Gingrich's loss in Delaware — where small geography and a strong Tea Party following made it as one of the most vulnerable remaining targets — may lead the former Speaker to consider finally exiting the Republican presidential hunt.

Gingrich told NBC News Monday that he would have to "reassess" his campaign depending on the results in Delaware.

"This has been a good opportunity for us, we have been here seeing a lot of people,” Gingrich said while campaigning in the First State earlier this week. “We have got really positive responses and I would hope we would do well here – either carry it or come very, very close."

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