If the Primary Was a TV Show, Mitt Romney Would Star

Think of the Illinois Republican presidential primary as a re-run of an old television episode. If you?re a Mitt Romney supporter, it?s a story you know but are eager to watch again.?If you back Rick Santorum, you might want to switch off the TV.?

Tuesday?s contest is following a familiar path this primary season: The business-focused Romney is poised to win a state whose electorate is more upscale and secular, full of suburban Republicans drawn to his jobs-heavy message. And, once again, Romney and his affiliated super PAC have outgunned their Santorum counterparts to gain an edge in the state, according to recent polls.

Those factors add up to a near-universal expectation that Romney, despite his recent beatings in Alabama and Mississippi, is set to win another key victory.?

?Romney will do better ? much better ? in the Chicago suburbs than Santorum, and Santorum will do better than Romney downstate,? said Kent Redfield, a professor emeritus of politics at the University of Illinois-Springfield.

That regional success can help Santorum win a portion of the state?s 54 delegates up for grabs on Tuesday, who are allocated based on support in congressional districts. Because Santorum hinges his strategy on denying Romney the 1,144 delegates necessary for the nomination, those small successes could be critical.

Just don't count on his rewriting the GOP primary's script.

?Alex Roarty

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NATIONAL JOURNAL?S PRIMARY REPORT

Illinois Looking Like Fertile Ground For Romney NEW!
[National Journal, 3/19/12] National Journal?s Alex Roarty writes that the business-focused Romney is poised to win in the Land of Lincoln this Tuesday because its electorate is more upscale and secular, full of suburban Republicans drawn to his jobs-heavy message

Santorum Accuses Romney of Pandering to Win Puerto Rico NEW!
[National Journal, 3/19/12] Santorum may have lost in Puerto Rico by a significant margin, but he came back with what can only be described as a scathing concession statement. His campaign says Romney ?put political expedience and political deception ahead of previously held policy positions? and accuses the former Massachusetts governor of switching positions on English and Puerto Rican statehood.

Santorum: Romney ?Doesn?t Have A Core? NEW!
[National Journal, 3/19/12] Santorum took to the airwaves on Monday to launch a full-scale attack on Romney, accusing the former Masaschusetts? governor of flip-flopping on issues and saying that even after spending ?tens of millions of dollars running negative ads? Romney has failed to energize the Republican base.

Could 2012 Be a Foreign Policy Election? NEW!
[Washington Post, 3/19/12] So far, the race to the White House has been dominated by economic and social issues, but with the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan dominating the news lately and the concern over Iran growing, could this be a race dominated by foreign policy?

5 Things to Watch For in Illinois
[Daily Beast, 3/19/12] Illinois? Tuesday primary is the next key marker in the grinding race for the GOP contest that has become political trench warfare between Romney and Santorum. Ben Jacobs offers five things to watch as the returns come in tomorrow. ?

Santorum Takes On Urban America
[New York Times, 3/19/12] Campaigning in recent days in Illinois and Missouri, Santorum has sought to motivate his followers by highlighting a divide between urban and rural America. And because many of the nation?s small towns are suffering economically, Santorum?s approach means he is taking on his own party.

Illinois Race Muddled By State?s Move Right
[Wall Street Journal, 3/18/12] Romney finds himself locked in a dogfight in Illinois with Santorum ahead of Tuesday?s primary, thanks in part to the rising influence of more-conservative Republicans in a state that once proved a reliable home for GOP centrists.

No Sparks For Romney in Illinois NEW!
[Politico, 3/19/12] Even as a state that seems a good fit to Romney?s brand of Republicanism, on primary eve Illinois remains in play, with Santorum seemingly within striking distance of a win. Romney?s inability to lock down the GOP vote in the state is exemplified by former GOP Gov. Jim Edgar?s ambivalence toward him.

Santorum Charges Ahead With Anti-Porn Crusade
[Talking Points Memo, 3/18/12] Santorum has garnered quite a bit of attention recently for his animated remarks against pornography, and on two separate Sunday shows the candidate refused to cede an inch. He accused the Obama administration of being soft on pornography on CNN?s State of the Union, and also clashed with a Chicago-based radio host Sunday on the issue.

Romneys Court Women Put Off By Contraception Debate
[New York Times, 3/19/12] The Romney campaign is seeking to repair the political damage with women voters that advisers acknowledge has been inflicted by the GOP candidates? rightward shift on immigration and social issues. Romney?s wife, Ann, has taken on a greater role as the campaign looks ahead to these independent voters.

Romney Revises Plans, Counts on Suburbs for Votes
[Chicago Daily Herald, 3/18/12] With Santorum close on his heels in Illinois, Romney returned to the Chicago suburbs Sunday, revising an earlier strategy to more seriously court voters in a region that is considered to be his stronghold.

McCain Calls 2012 ?Nastiest? Campaign Yet
[National Journal, 3/18/12] Sen. John McCain, one of several prominent Romney-backers, said Sunday that the current Republican presidential campaign is the most brutal race he has seen, fueled in part by super PACs that have rivaled campaigns in spending on this election. ?This is the nastiest I have ever seen," McCain said on NBC's Meet the Press.

Ron Paul?s Campaign Aims to Collect Stray Delegates
[USA Today, 3/18/12] Paul?s presidential campaign strategy of targeting caucus states appears to have fallen flat. But with just one caucus state remaining, rather than withdraw, the campaign is trying to pick up stray delegates in states that have already held caucuses.

Santorum: Backing Specter ?Wasn?t One of My Prouder Moments? ?
[National Journal, 3/19/12] Santorum's support of Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's 1996 presidential run has been used by his opponents to attack him as moderate. Now, Santorum is trying to cut his losses. Santorum said his support for Specter, who ran on a pro-choice platform in 1996, "wasn't one of my prouder moments."

Is Romney the Most Unpopular Likely Presidential Nominee Ever? NEW!
[Daily Beast, 3/19/12] Since 1976, no serious contender, Democrat or Republican, has watched his favorable ratings fall as low as Romney?s have in recent months. At this rate, could Romney shape up to be the most unpopular presidential nominee on record?

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/primary-tv-show-mitt-romney-star-091233729.html

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