| Ruh-roh. For the two leading contenders, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, the stakes could not be higher. If Romney were to win Michigan convincingly — and attain a victory in Arizona, which also votes on Tuesday and where he is favored — he will have cleared perhaps the last real hurdle to clinching the nomination. But if Santorum were to defeat Romney in the latter’s home state, it would shift the dynamics of the race in a fundamental way. Doubts about Romney’s ability to seal the deal with Republican voters would likely reach a feverish level.
I'm not sure what is considered convincingly, but the polls show the race virtually neck-and-neck, with Willard pulling a small lead. I'm not sure how "barely eked out a win over a guy who had no business being competitive" is going to translate into a convincing win, but that's a matter for the pundits to sort out. I'm sure if it's close or Ricky even pulls out the win, they'll blame Democrats ... which I'm sure will actually get defined as good news for Romney. Why? Because that's how things work, that's why. It doesn't need to make any sense. Update! ... Gaffe central. For decades Republican presidential candidates having been heading to the racetrack to lockdown the “NASCAR dad” vote, but Mitt Romney’s pandering at the Daytona 500 on Sunday may have backfired. A reporter from The Associated Press casually asked the candidate if he followed the sport. “Not as closely as some of the most ardent fans,” Romney said. “But I have some friends who are NASCAR team owners.”
Apt quote, from The Simpsons: "Your guilty conscience may move you to vote Democratic, but deep down you long for a cold-hearted Republican to lower taxes, brutalize criminals, and rule you like a king." |
