Missouri GOP: Thanks for your Santorum votes; now stand aside while we vote for Romney

At last look, Rick Santorum was leading the non-binding Missouri Primary by about 30 percent and has been projected the winner.

So much for the power of the endorsement.

The Missouri Republican establishment, including Sen. Roy Blunt, former Sen. Jim Talent, former Gov. Matt Blunt, and Seventh District Congressman Billy Long are solidly in former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's camp and that managed to net their candidate only about one in every four votes.

This was the statement released by the Missouri Republican Party:

Missouri Republican Party Chairman David Cole released the following statement regarding the Missouri primary:

“With national Republicans, analysts, and media focused on Missouri, our state is once again playing an important role in the process of electing a president. And while the non-binding primary is certainly not an ideal situation, we agree with the reporter who observed earlier today that the Show-Me State primary could still ‘carry a lot of weight.’

“We thank all Missourians who did their civic duty and made their voices heard, and we encourage all Republicans to attend the March caucuses and take part in the beginning of the process that will bind Missouri’s national delegates.”

Translation: Thanks for your votes for Rick Santorum. Now get out of the way while we hold our country club caucuses and make sure Missouri is a Romney state.