WASHINGTON (AP) -- A resurgent Rick Santorum has won Minnesota's Republican presidential caucuses with ease and is reaching for victory in Colorado.

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

Returns from 74 percent of Minnesota's precincts show Santorum with 45 percent support, Texas congressman Ron Paul with 27 percent and Mitt Romney with 17 percent. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich trailed in Minnesota with 11 percent.

With about a third of Colorado's precincts reporting, Santorum is leading with 43 percent, followed by Romney with 28 percent.

Santorum, who won handily in both states, says he doesn't want to be a conservative alternative to Mitt Romney, but the conservative alternative to President Barack Obama.

Republicans also held caucuses in Colorado, where returns show a closer contest with Romney.

UNDATED (AP) -- Rick Santorum says "Conservatism is alive and well." The former Pennsylvania senator has won the non-binding Missouri primary and Minnesota's caucuses.

Santorum's campaign had been lagging since his narrow win in Iowa.

He scored double-digit wins in both states. Ron Paul is running second in Minnesota and Mitt Romney finished third ahead of Newt Gingrich.

The Missouri win gives Santorum bragging rights, but no delegates. They'll be chosen next month in caucuses.

Santorum told supporters that the results were a more accurate representation of what the fall campaign will look like. He said Mitt Romney's only attribute is having the most money. Santorum said a race against Obama would feature a true conservative against a president who thinks he knows better than anyone else.

Republican voters in Colorado also headed to caucuses today.