Mitt Romney (left) and John McCain as posted at abcnews.com
Arizona supporters of Sen. John McCain’s presidential candidacy are downright giddy at the prospect of a victory in Michigan today knocking Mitt Romney right out of the campaign for the Republican nomination. A variety of political pundits and observers say while Romney came in second in Iowa and New Hampshire (and won Wyoming’s handful of delegates), this showing is rather poor given the amount of money and time he poured into those races.
Finishing second in his home state of Michigan would create the perception that Romney can’t win anywhere, these pundits claim. Lukewarm supporters and uncommitted Republicans could flock to another candidate they perceive as more likely to claim the nomination and to compete well against the eventual Democrat challenger.
“…(Romney’s) campaign practically would be over,” Bruce Merrill, the veteran political pollster for Arizona State University’s journalism school, told the KJZZ radio station this morning.
On the Arizona front, Romney has been a real thorn in McCain’s side, siphoning off local campaign donations and GOP endorsements. McCain would see a much clearer path to an overwhelming victory here on Feb. 5 if Romney were prompted to drop out of the race after today’s Michigan primary or the South Carolina primary on Saturday.
Twitter