Republican Primary: A Super Tuesday for Nothing

Romney wins Ohio, but Santorum’s victory in three states enables him to maintain the pressure on the favorite candidate.

The Republican Party’s strategists must feel like kicking themselves right now. Impressed by Barack Obama’s rise during the 2008 Democratic primary, the Republicans have modified their approach this year by spreading the nomination process over more than six months. They are now facing the opposite effect to the one they were looking for: Instead of strengthening their favorite, Mitt Romney, the race to the nomination is weakening him.

Another Weakness

At each step of the 2008 primary, Barack Obama would gain legitimacy and political strength. At each step of the 2012 primary, Mitt Romney reveals another weakness, loses credibility as he flip-flops on various issues and staggers under every attack from Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich.

The 2008 Super Tuesday had taken place in early February with 21 states at stake. The much smaller 2012 “Super Tuesday” (only 10 states at stake) came later and changed nothing. Mitt Romney won five of the 10 states, but Rick Santorum’s victories (Tennessee, Oklahoma and North Dakota), as well as Newt Gingrich’s (Georgia), kept them both in the primary. The only significant uncertainty was in Ohio, a state that will be crucial in the upcoming November elections. Reportedly leading in the polls for weeks, Rick Santorum, the champion of the right-wing Christians, finally gave up some ground in the last stretch to the finish line. With 37 percent of the votes, Santorum ended up slightly behind Mitt Romney (38 percent).

Still 790 Delegates to Clinch

Romney now has 354 delegates. He needs 1,144 to win the Republican primary. It is clear that the road will remain long and arduous, all the more since the two big delegate suppliers, California (172) and Texas (155), won’t vote until the very end of this process in late May or early June. “I’m going to get this nomination,” Mitt Romney exclaimed on Tuesday night in front of his supporters. He most probably will, but in what condition?