Mitt Romney swept to the Republican presidential nomination Tuesday night at a storm-delayed national convention scripted to propel him into a close race for the White House in tough economic times. 
 
 Ann Romney, wife of U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, looks over the main stage during a sound check at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012.... (Associated Press) 
 
 New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, right, stands on the main stage in the Tampa Tribune Forum before the start of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/J.... (Associated Press) 
 
 Delegates from the state of Georgia applaud after casting their votes for presidential candidate Mitt Romneyduring the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Lynne... (Associated Press) 
 
 Republican vice presidential candidate, Rep. Paul Ryan, center, R-Wis., works on the speech he will deliver at the Republican National Convention, with senior adviser Dan Senor, left, and senior aid... (Associated Press) 
 
 Ann Romney, wife of Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney hands out cookies during a flight to Tampa, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Associated Press) 
 
 Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney talks with staff after boarding his flight for Tampa on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012 in Bedford, Mass. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Associated Press) 
 
 Texas delegate Clint Moore and the rest of Texas delegates fashion their cowboy hats at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) (Associated Press) 
 
 California casts their votes for presidential candidate Mitt Romney during the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) (Associated Press) 
 
 The former Massachusetts governor watched on television with his wife, Ann, at a hotel suite across the street from the convention hall as delegates sealed his hard-won victories in the primaries and caucuses of last winter. 
 
 New Jersey put him over the top in a ritual roll call of the states. 
 
 Republican mockery of President Barack Obama began almost instantly from the podium at a convention postponed once and dogged still by Hurricane Isaac. The Democratic president has "never run a company. He hasn't even run a garage sale or seen the inside of a lemonade stand," declared Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican Party. 
 
 To send Romney and ticketmate Paul Ryan into the fall campaign, the convention quickly approved a conservative platform that calls for tax cuts _ not government spending _ to stimulate the economy at a time of sluggish growth and 8.3 percent unemployment. 
 
 Ann Romney's speech was scheduled as a prime-time highlight, an appearance meant to cast her multimillionaire-businessman-turned-politician husband in a soft and likable light before a national TV audience. 
 
 Aides said Romney would be in the hall when she spoke. 
 
 While there was no doubt about Romney's command over the convention, the residue of a heated campaign for the nomination was evident inside the hall. 
 
 Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who never won a primary or caucus, drew several dozen delegate votes. Earlier, his supporters chanted and booed after the convention adopted rules they opposed, but were powerless to block, to prevent those votes from being officially registered. 
 
 Opinion polls made the race a close one as the Republicans' days of pageantry and speechmaking began in earnest, and the man tapped to deliver the keynote address set the stakes. 
 
 "Conventions are always huge for a challenger, because they're the ones introducing themselves" to the voters, said New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. 
 
 Convention planners squeezed two days of speeches and other convention business into one after scrapping Monday's scheduled opener because of fears that Isaac would make a direct hit on the Florida Gulf Coast. 
 
 That threat fizzled, but it was instantly replaced by another _ that Republicans would wind up holding a political celebration at the same time the storm turned its fury on New Orleans, devastated almost exactly seven years ago by Hurricane Katrina. 
 
 Romney's convention planners said they were in frequent contact with weather forecasters, but they declined to discuss what contingency plans, if any, they had to accelerate plans for him to deliver a formal acceptance speech Thursday night. 
 
 "This is obviously the biggest speech of my life," Mrs. Romney said as she visited the custom-made podium to prepare for her remarks. 
 
 Ratification of a party platform was prelude to Romney's nomination, a document more conservative on abortion than the candidate. 
 
 On economic matters, it backs extension of the tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 and due to expire at year's end, without exception. It also calls for an additional 20 percent reduction in income tax brackets that Romney favors. 
 
 In a time of 8.3 percent unemployment and the slowest economic recovery in the post-World War II era, that went to the crux of the campaign for the White House. 
 
 By contrast, Obama wants to allow existing tax cuts to expire on upper income taxpayers, and has criticized Romney's overall economic plans as a boon to millionaires that would raise taxes on the middle class. 
 
 The GOP platform also pledges that a Republican-controlled Congress will repeal, and Romney will sign, legislation to repeal the health care legislation Obama won from a Democratic-controlled Congress. So, too, for the measure passed to regulate Wall Street in the wake of the 2008 economic collapse. 
 
 On abortion, the platform says, "The unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed." 
 
 Romney opposes abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or when "the health and life of the mother" are at stake, he said in a convention week interview. 
 
 Obama, who accepts renomination at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., next week, campaigned in Iowa Tuesday as he set out on a tour of college campuses in battleground states in hopes of boosting voter registration among college students. 
 
 Before departing the White House, he made a point of appearing before reporters to announce the government's latest steps to help those in the way of Isaac. He signed a declaration of emergency for Mississippi and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local storm response efforts in the state. 
 
 His surrogates did their best to counter Romney and the Republicans. 
 
 Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, dismissing GOP attempts to woo Hispanic voters, said, "You can't just trot out a brown face or a Spanish surname and expect people are going to vote for your party or your candidate." He added, "This is a party with a platform that calls for the self-deportation of 11 million people." 
 
 Hispanics strongly favor Obama, according to public polls, and Romney and his party have been seeking to win a bigger share of their votes by emphasizing proposals to fix the economy rather than ease their positions on immigration. 
 
 Female voters, too, prefer the president over his challenger, and Democrats have done their best to emphasize GOP opposition to abortion and even suggest the party might try and curtail access to contraceptives if it wins power. 
 
 Whatever the impact of those issues, the polls show the economy is overwhelmingly the dominant issue in the race, and on that, the voters narrowly say they trust Romney more. 
 
 In an AP-GfK poll taken Aug. 16-20, some 48 percent of registered voters said they trust Romney more on economic issues, to 44 percent for Obama. 
 
 However, a Washington Post-ABC News in the days immediately before the convention found that 61 percent of registered voters said Obama was more likable, and 27 percent said Romney. 
 
 The convention took place in an atmosphere of security that was both stringent and selective. Thousands of police from all over the country, joined by National Guard troops, Secret Service and others, stood in small groups at checkpoints, demanding those entering a secure area display proper credentials numerous times. 
 
 But former Michigan Gov. John Engler and an aide were hustled to the front of a long line waiting to clear security at one building. 
 
 Aside from Paul, Romney's long-ago rivals for the party nomination had bit roles at his convention, if that. 
 
 Michele Bachmann and Herman Cain posed for a photo after running into each other at the convention center. Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum were also in town, as well, both with speaking slots, unlike Bachmann and Cain. 
 
 ___ 
 
 Associated Press writers Brian Bakst, Thomas Beaumont, Tamara Lush, Brendan Farrington, Julie Mazziotta, Steve Peoples, Kasie Hunt and Philip Elliott in Florida and Steven Ohlemacher, Alicia A. Caldwell and Jennifer Agiesta in Washington contributed to this report. ||||| Well, everyone. Thank you so much for participating in this conversation for the past two weeks. We truly appreciate it. Thanks for watching CNN as well during the RNC and DNC, and using this spot to add another element to your viewing experience. We'll be back again throughout the next two months as we approach election day. See you at the debates and more! 
 
 necessity is the mother of reflection… & truth www.breitbart.com 
 
 Celebrity I was most excited to see in-person at #DNC2012: Biff Henderson of @Late_Show fame. Check out his report: bit.ly 
 
 Stranded in Richmond? The Jefferson Hotel is really nice. #guardianangeltweets 
 
 Nebraska/ UCLA...great way to spend a Saturday night! 
 
 Can't wait to see "1000 hot dogs" listed on Oct FEC report MT @MarlenaCNN: Romney/NASCAR from pool: Campaign bought all 1,000 hot dogs there 
 
 MT @MarlenaCNN: Per @StreitfeldCNN - Romney will no longer start NASCAR race off with, "drivers, start your engines" due to rain delay 
 
 Get ready for Saturday @CNNSitRoom which begins now. And don't forget to see something new & exciting Monday on our show. 
 
 Gotta wonder if Clinton responds to Romney's comments on MTP when he's on trail for Obama next wk in FL. 
 
 Jubilee, Olympics, Paralympics, now #lastnightoftheproms - what a year to be British. 
 
 Romney's praise for Clinton fascinating but not surprising. He's repeatedly used 42 in ads to bash Obama. 
 
 The #USOpen is just like the #RNC2012 & #DNC2012: they were held on the exact same 2 weeks & all getting jerked around by Mother Nature 
 
 #USOpen suspends play due to weather threat. McEnroe: why wasn't 2nd men's semi played earlier; why even start if u know bad weather afoot? 
 
 .@Beyonce, #TanMom and #HoneyBooBoo are all on premiere of #AndersonLive Monday. Co-host is @KChenoweth! andr.tv @Anderson 
 
 Olympic gold medalist & Wimbledon finalist @Andy_Murray having a great 2012. He just advanced to @usopen final. Party at Prince Harry's 
 
 Something new & exciting coming to @CNNSitRoom Monday. Watch 4-7PM ET 
 
 The @MittRomney campaign not spending $$ in Wisconsin & Michigan. Have they given up there? Watch Saturday @CNNSitRoom 6PM ET 
 
 If @BarackObama can win OH & IA (where unemploy. @ 7.2 & 5.3%) it puts him at 261 & Romney has to run board to win WH bit.ly 
 
 Sundays at Hank's Oyster Bar features Shuck and Spin from 9:30 until 11:30pm. Enjoy classic vinyl and $1 oysters. Bring your favorite vinyl! 
 
 Hank's Oyster Bar has some specialty cocktails. Here's a sample "Old Salt." Looking forward to gardening and watching football. Enjoying! 
 
 What's on your menu? @gwtweets with the Class of 2016. This is the Freshman Day of Service. Today, they will serve DC residents. Thank you 
 
 Things looking good for the T20 World Cup without KP....if you like losing. #EnglandBetterWithoutKevinPietersen 
 
 80-6 #EnglandBetterWithoutKevinPietersen 
 
 On my way to start recording new #LifeStories series in London - starts next Friday, Sep 14, ITV1, 9pm, with the great Sir Roger Moore. 
 
 Beast RT @Nationals: SPECIAL DELIVERY! Watch Michael Morse send one into the stands to tie the score in the 8th: atmlb.com #Nats 
 
 Concord, MA bans bottled water. But oh no. It doesn't add up. on.cnn.com 
 
 Vladimir Putin dresses like a bird and Hillary likes it...watch: on.cnn.com #outfront 
 
 .@RosieR13 thanks, I am a little sleepy tonight 
 
 Another visitor to #Yosemite dies from #hantavirus, new info about how many people may have been exposed and how it spreads @AC360 8p, 10p 
 
 Britain's #PrinceHarry reports for duty in #Afghanistan. Details @AC360 8p, 10p 
 
 President #Obama touts the new jobs created but what kind of jobs are they really? We investigate @AC360 8p, 10p 
 
 Back in NY, about to go live on @AC360. We take you out on campaign trail with #Romney and #Obama 
 
 Romney on Obama in Nashua: "He just doesn't know how to make America strong again. 
 
 I think I know the answer...but the #USMNT aren't on tv tonight are they? 
 
 Romney at Nashua event: "The American people had expected him to deliver on his promises." 
 
 Romney at Nashua event as crowd struggles to hold up "Mitt" sign: I can't quite read that but I'm sure it's great. 
 
 Ann Romney at Nashua event: "We are here to tell you that help is on the way." 
 
 Ayotte up for Romney now in NH. "Mitt Romney has lived bipartisan leadership." 
 
 Makes sense to me. RT @bkappCBS: Local NH GOPer Jeb Bradley just told Romney crowd: "Hope plus hope equals no!" 
 
 The Dems have just completed a very good convention. But the jobs report brought some harsh realities to Charlotte www.cnn.com #CNN 
 
 1 yr ago today @GovernorPerry made his prez debate debut at the Reagan Library. He defends his Soc Sec stand & attacks Romney's jobs record 
 
 Me, definitely RT@rickygervais: “@RyanFleming1989: some celebs deserve trolling” Go on? Who?
– The GOP convention's main order of business is in the books: In the state roll call late this afternoon, Mitt Romney claimed the magic number of 1,144 delegates to secure the nomination, reports AP. For the record, New Jersey put him over the top. Romney is in Tampa to watch wife Ann's speech tonight, but the candidate himself isn't scheduled to address the convention—and accept the nomination—until Thursday night. After the roll call, Republicans nominated Paul Ryan by acclamation to be Romney's VP candidate. The final presidential tally, from CNN: Romney: 2,061 Ron Paul: 190 Rick Santorum: 9 Michele Bachmann: 1 Jon Huntsman: 1 Buddy Roemer: 1 Abstain/uncommitted: 20