Santorum wins Minn. caucuses, nonbinding Missouri

WASHINGTON — A resurgent Rick Santorum won Minnesota's Republican caucuses with ease Tuesday night, relegating front-runner Mitt Romney to a distant third-place finish that raised fresh questions about his ability to attract ardent conservatives at the core of the GOP political base.

Santorum was victorious, as well, in a nonbinding Missouri primary that was worth bragging rights but no delegates.

Colorado held caucuses, too. The first few hundred votes tallied trended Santorum's way, but the count lagged well behind Minnesota's.