Santorum Sprints Ahead of the Field

Updated from 9:52 p.m. with latest results.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Rick Santorum is making a strong showing Tuesday night in three crucial state races as the Republican presidential primaries continue in Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado.

Early returns show Santorum ahead of Romney in caucuses in both Colorado and Minnesota as well as winning the non-binding, so-called beauty contest in Missouri's primary.

Santorum leads Minnesota with 45.3% of the vote followed by Ron Paul, Romney and Newt Gingrich at 26.6%, 16.6% and 11.1%, respectively, with 32.9% of precincts reporting, according to The Associated Press.

In Colorado, where Romney was expected to win handily, Santorum is off to a promising start. With 6.6% of precincts reporting, Santorum has 49.6% of the vote, followed by Gingrich at 21.4%, Romney at 18.9%, and Paul at 9.8%, the AP said.

Multiple news agencies reported that the former Pennsylvania senator had won the Missouri primary as he grabbed 55% of the vote and counting and Romney and Paul trail at 25.4% and 12.1%, respectively, with 80.7% of precincts reporting, according to the AP. Gingrich did not qualify for the Missouri primary ballot.

"Huge!" a Santorum operative in Missouri said in a text message after major news agencies projected the victory.

"I can't tell you who's gonna come out on top, but I think ... it will be packed together," former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said in a Monday conference call.

Santorum's campaign has looked to score victories in Tuesday's races since his campaign uprooted early from the bitter Florida primary battle to make inroads in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri as they felt voters in these states would show more favor to the former senator's grass-roots style.

Romney, the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, is coming off two consecutive victories in Florida and Nevada.

Missouri's primary is a non-binding contest that has zero delegates at stake; the state holds its caucus in March.

Paul was actively caucusing on behalf of himself in Minnesota Tuesday night while Gingrich was campaigning in Ohio.

-- Written by Joe Deaux in New York.

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