A five-state sweep by Mitt Romney on Tuesday night guaranteed himself the GOP presidential nomination. Romney claimed landslide victories in California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota.

A total of 264 delegates were at stake, including 169 in California.  Romney secured almost all of them. Results showed Romney garnering 81% of the vote in California with 42% of the precincts reporting as of 12:15 am. Montana’s 26 delegates are non-binding.

Despite media reports that claimed Romney had clinched the GOP nomination last week, he had not actually accomplished that feat until Tuesday night. The former Massachusetts governor surpassed 1,144 bound delegates. That means, no matter which candidate the delegates actually support at the national convention, more than 1,144 of them are bound to Romney on the first ballot.

This puts an end to Ron Paul supporters’ efforts to manipulate the convention by securing the most delegates at state conventions. Paul needs the majority of delegates in five states in order to be nominated at the national convention. Even if he accomplishes that, Mitt Romney is guaranteed to secure the GOP nomination on the first ballot.

Only one contest remains in the GOP presidential primary. Utah voters go to the polls on June 26. It is all but certain Romney will pick up all 40 of that state’s delegates.

Photo by Dave Davidson, Prezography.com