The Debate

Santorum Gets a Lift

Recent Features

The Debate

Santorum Gets a Lift

Rick Santorum looks to be having a better night than Mitt Romney, taking Tennessee and staying ahead in Ohio.

One of these Republican primary nights I’ll be able to come away and say “that’s it.” But not tonight. Mitt Romney’s so-called nightmare Super Tuesday scenario looks like it might be realized, with Newt Gingrich winning comfortably in Georgia, Rick Santorum winning Tennessee and Oklahoma and ahead in Ohio.

As I wrote earlier, the devil is in the math for Santorum and Gingrich – there just don’t look like there are enough delegates out there for them to get the 1,144 that they need. But Santorum certainly won’t be pulling out after his strong showing in the South, meaning Romney will have to plough on, taking more punches that could leave him winded as he pivots to take on Barack Obama in November.

The mood – and importantly the media narrative tomorrow – could change if Romney can pull off a win in Ohio, however narrow. But with Santorum ahead 38 percent to 36 percent with 60 percent of the votes in, it’s going to be tight regardless.

I’ll have a final update later.