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Polls Close In Most Of The Sunshine State

MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) - The polls are closed and tabulations for the Republican presidential primary have begun in most of the Sunshine State.

The polls closed at 7 p.m. Eastern time in the Florida peninsula. They remain open an hour later in the Panhandle, which is on Central time.

Florida voting officials are expecting about 2 million ballots to be cast, which would be a record for the Republican primary.

Polls taken before the  vote showed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney with a comfortable lead over former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Texas Congressman Ron Paul stopped campaigning in the state.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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