Close in Michigan
This shouldn’t have been close. In 2008, Mitt Romney won in Michigan by nearly double-digits. The very idea that the son of a Michigan governor should happen to find himself in this position demonstrates how thoroughly many conservatives have tired of establishment candidates. What should have been a walk-over won’t be, and instead we’re likely to see a terribly close contest that may come down to the wire. If Romney loses in Michigan, he might as well go home, because if he can’t win here, and convincingly, I don’t know how you can argue he will ever beat Barack Obama. There’s also an Arizona primary on Tuesday, and at the time of this writing, that contest is not nearly so tight, with polls indicating a big Romney lead.
After getting the endorsement of another Republican governor, with Jan Brewer endorsing him over the weekend, but she seems to have more pull with Arizonans than Nikki Haley demonstrated with South Carolinians. There is also a healthy Mormon segment of the vote in Arizona, so taken together, Romney probably will maintain that edge. Let us also remember he has the endorsement of US Senator and former Presidential candidate John McCain, who was able to stave off J.D. Hayworth in a primary challenge in 2010. I expect that he will win there comfortably, but if it closes up significantly, it will hint at the continued weakness of Mitt Romney.
Romney needs to win Michigan on Tuesday, but conservatives need Rick Santorum to win. There is certainly reason to believe Santorum could pull it off, not merely because of the closeness in the polls, but also because he’s doing particularly well among evangelical Christians in the state. Naturally, Romney has a significant cash advantage, as he has had throughout this primary season, but as has been seen in some states, that advantage doesn’t necessarily equate to victory if the grass-roots activists in a state begin to push for somebody else. If Romney can pull off an unexpectedly large victory in Michigan Tuesday, he’ll certainly retake the initiative, but if it’s very close, or worse, he loses entirely, it may be a show-stopped. Tuesday’s returns will offer us a good deal of insight into the rest of the primary season. If it’s close, it’s not over by a long-shot in the run-up to Super Tuesday, and if it’s a blow-out, it may well signal a consolidation in favor of the victor.
I will be voting for Rick tomorrow in the Michigan primary. I prefer Newt, but Rick is too close not to take advantage of taking this away from Romney. The UAW (unfortunately) is getting involved in this primary big time, and then will change their status back to democrat for the March caucus. Mitt is not well liked here at all, by either party. Mitt interjected himself into the car bailout argument when his opinion was not necessary or warranted. He did not say one word when the dealers were closed (per Obama) and he did not say a word when Rick Wagoner (GM ) was removed from office (per Obama)..which I do believe is unconstitutional and unprecedented.