NASHVILLE (AP) - Rick Santorum cruised to a victory in Tennessee's Republican presidential primary on Tuesday with a platform of social and religious issues that resonated with conservative voters.

With 95 percent of precincts reporting, the former Pennsylvania senator had 37 percent to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's 28 percent.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who won his home state of Georgia, was unable to replicate his success in neighboring Tennessee despite several visits and a barrage of television ads. He was running third with 24 percent, followed by U.S. Rep. Ron Paul's 9 percent.

Santorum appeared in Chattanooga, Knoxville and Memphis in the days before the primary, often in religious settings.

Preliminary results from an exit poll conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press show about seven in 10 Tennessee voters identified themselves as born-again Christians. About three-quarters of them said i t mattered at least somewhat that a candidate shared their religious beliefs.

Voter Mary Cecil, who is retired and lives in Sevierville, said the economy is a major issue, but that religion was the deciding factor that led her to support Santorum.

"I would like to have a true Christian in the White House," she said.

Kristy Tarrant, a 55-year-old executive assistant in Memphis, said Santorum's family values and how he dealt with the death of his newborn son led her to choose him in the primary.

"The protection of families in America is the issue that is important to me," Tarrant said.

Tennessee has 55 delegates up for grabs, the third most among the 10 Super Tuesday states. Candidates must gain 20 percent of the vote statewide or within the nine congressional districts to qualify for a share of the delegates.

Romney was unable to capitalize on superior organization in Tennessee and the endorsements of several top state Republicans, including Gov. Bill Haslam, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and state House Speaker Beth Harwell.

Romney was leading in just three of the state's 95 counties - Davidson, Loudon and Williamson. Gingrich carried only Marion County.

The support of Haslam, a former Knoxville mayor, wasn't enough for Romney to carry Knox County, where Santorum won by less than 1 percentage point.

Romney's emphasis on economic issues appeared to fall flat in Tennessee, despite exit poll results showing eight in 10 voters saying that the economy or deficit were their top issue.

The loss denied Romney the opportunity to show he could connect with voters in the South, where conservatives see him as too moderate and evangelicals might have questions about his Mormon faith.

Tennessee also has an open primary, which means voters from any party may cast their vote in the GOP primary.

Wayne Renardson, 69, a retired jazz musician in Nashville, said he thinks Obama "is the best of the bu nch," but cast a vote for Santorum "because he's easiest to beat."

"The Republicans are absolute clowns, all of 'em," he said before hopping on a motorcycle and riding away.