A relieved Mitt Romney headed back to the campaign trail Wednesday after sweeping crucial primaries in Arizona and his childhood home of Michigan to revitalize his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
Romney needed to win both states, but especially Michigan — where he grew up when his father was governor — to assert his ability to overcome the conservative challenge from former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum…
Romney attributed Santorum’s late rise in the polls to his recent “incendiary comments” about Obama, such as questioning the president’s theology and accusing him of snobbery for advocating higher education.
“We have seen throughout the campaign that if you are willing to say really outrageous things that are accusative and attacking of President Obama, that you are going to jump up in the polls,” Romney said. “You know, I am not willing to light my hair on fire to try and get support. I am who I am.”
Without question good news for Mitt Romney, who has certainly had “outrageous things” to say when it suited him like Rick Santorum, but took the opportunity to appear magnanimous at Santorum’s expense from his victory podium last night. The results in Michigan and Arizona are also a major blow to the prospects of also-rans Ron Paul and especially Newt Gingrich–we expect calls for Gingrich to exit the race, allowing Santorum to consolidate conservative “Anybody But Romney” support, to grow ahead of Super Tuesday coming up next week.
Paul and Gingrich are essentially spoilers for Santorum at this point, and the best friends Romney has: add either of their totals to Santorum’s in Michigan to instantly see why.
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Wow.
Perhaps the dumbest (politically) thing he’s said.
But he might have done well among Michigan Catholic Democrats:
All in all, an interesting take on the race here:
http://communities.washingtont…
at least until super Tuesday.
After all the guy only won his home state where daddy was Governor by 3 points, 41%-38%.
even sideliners know that Newt is betting it all on SuperTue for a Wellingtonesque victory — Newt’s southern strategy is all putting on a good show, taking GA, and banking some serious Adelson cash. Newt has no chances (not that he ever did) but the book tour won’t wind down until Sta-Puft is mathematically eliminated ’cause he’s all about astronomical odds.
And, perhaps hope to be a power-broker at the convention. Or, at least retain a role as a morning TV DJ.
Well, I don’t know about bad, but he’s certainly an …
he is the social issues guy (regardless of how much he tries to speak to anything else) and that focus casts a smaller net when folks are still worried about economics. He’s lost any credibility talking about the nuts & bolts gov’t issues with all his sanctimony & moral preaching. He’d win if we were electing a Pope but thats not whats at stake.
Santorum’s MI run was poorly staffed & funded and his last ditch robocalls coupled with Operation Hilarity badkfired to show the lengths of his desperation. Newt’s presence definitely dilutes his support and with depressed GOP turnouts in the primaries & caucuses it just makes for a slow slog up a hill with no chances for decisive wins. And what about GOP donor fatigue? The wallets have little to show for all the $$s thrown into this circus so each candidate is just getting more & more beholden to their primary benefactors which makes Citizen’s United more of an issue. GOP is truly their own worst enemy this time.
Michigan’s delegates are awarded proportionally, and in fact Santorum seems to think they’ll be split 15-15 no matter what. So effectively that result was a tie.
It’s the Arizona win that matters much more for Romney, since for some reason it’s winner-take-all.
Weird how much of the narrative has been psychological rather than mathematical.
momentum shifts, that kind of thing. When a winner gets no more, or just one or two more, delegates than the loser it spoils the dramatic effect.
Comes this close to Romney in his own “backyard”, so to speak.
Go, Rick, Go! And go, and go, and go.
http://www.coloradopols.com/sh…
I believe everything I said yesterday was proven by the results.
And yes, I’m very happy with those results. I’ll be happy again next Tuesday I predict.
And although Michigan is an open primary state, you’re high (and illegally so!) if you think independents were out in mass expressing their rapidly dissipating dissatisfaction with Obama NOW by voting for R-money.
are unsupported by February polling. Why am I not surprised?