The 2012 Republican Primary thread, early edition

[hostile]

Looks like Newt has this thing locked up now. Watch out Obama.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/06/showbi...showbiz&page=1

[myboynoah]

Looks like Newt has this thing locked up now. Watch out Obama.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/06/showbi...showbiz&page=1

I love these occassional glimpses into the Gingrich campaign braintrust.

[LA Ute]

Looks like Newt has this thing locked up now. Watch out Obama.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/06/showbi...showbiz&page=1

That creature living on top of Chuck's head is scary.

[San Juan Sun]

Keep in mind that no delegates will be awarded tonight, but...

Santorum will likely win Minnesota and Missouri. Missouri is especially interesting because it appears that Newt's failure to get on the ballot there is turning his supporters to Santorum as a protest vote agains Mitt. However, the large population counties that are more pro-Mitt have yet to report. But will that be enough to overcome the combined Santorum-Gingrich vote? I don't think so, but the vote totals will be a lot closer than the 30% margin for Santorum.

Santorum will win Minnesota despite Bachman and Norm Coleman endorsing Romney. Those evangelicals really don't like Mitt.

Colorado will be a Mitt win.

In the end, Santorum wins the night clearly, although some of his support in Missouri is inflated by protest vote. Of course, this is Santorum's second look, and his support absolutely plummeted after Iowa once his record was scrutinized. Will he be able to withstand a second look?

Mitt is fine, and his camp will correctly point out that no delegates were won tonight. He needs to develop a cogent reply to Santorum's Romneycare attacks by the Feb. 22 debate. And he needs to hit Santorum's record now.

Newt is hurt by tonight. He's not the Yankees tonight (Romney) and he's not the Red Sox (tonight it's Santorum). Tonight he's the Rays, still potent but losing some visibility.

Paul also will be hurt tonight. Yet again not really in contention to win a state, and since he wins no proportional delegates tonight, he loses momentum.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Keep in mind that no delegates will be awarded tonight, but...

Santorum will likely win Minnesota and Missouri. Missouri is especially interesting because it appears that Newt's failure to get on the ballot there is turning his supporters to Santorum as a protest vote agains Mitt. However, the large population counties that are more pro-Mitt have yet to report. But will that be enough to overcome the combined Santorum-Gingrich vote? I don't think so, but the vote totals will be a lot closer than the 30% margin for Santorum.

Santorum will win Minnesota despite Bachman and Norm Coleman endorsing Romney. Those evangelicals really don't like Mitt.

Colorado will be a Mitt win.

In the end, Santorum wins the night clearly, although some of his support in Missouri is inflated by protest vote. Of course, this is Santorum's second look, and his support absolutely plummeted after Iowa once his record was scrutinized. Will he be able to withstand a second look?

Mitt is fine, and his camp will correctly point out that no delegates were won tonight. He needs to develop a cogent reply to Santorum's Romneycare attacks by the Feb. 22 debate. And he needs to hit Santorum's record now.

Newt is hurt by tonight. He's not the Yankees tonight (Romney) and he's not the Red Sox (tonight it's Santorum). Tonight he's the Rays, still potent but losing some visibility.

Paul also will be hurt tonight. Yet again not really in contention to win a state, and since he wins no proportional delegates tonight, he loses momentum.

I think the morons who support Newt will support Santorum, but I'm not sure if the Santorum supporters would all flock to Newt. Newt is radioactive and I think a lot of Santorum's supporters realize that.

As I've said before, Santorum has a distant, but plausible path in the general election. Gingrich has no path.

[Viking]

The amount of anti-mormon sentiment that exists in the US is scary. Wow.

[pellegrino]

Missouri is full of evangelicals, there's no question they'll turn to Santorum over Mitt w/ Newt out of the race.

[Viking]

Missouri is full of evangelicals, there's no question they'll turn to Santorum over Mitt w/ Newt out of the race.

Missouri is a gawd awful place.

[San Juan Sun]

Dear CNN, Redstate, Hotair commenters, etc.,

Reports of Mitt Romney's demise are being greatly exaggerated.

[pellegrino]

Missouri is a gawd awful place.

Actually, I liked it very much. I lived in Columbia for a few years and had it been my lot to stay there then I would have been just fine with it.

That said, evangelicals and the religious right suck rocks.

[Viking]

Actually, I liked it very much. I lived in Columbia for a few years and had it been my lot to stay there then I would have been just fine with it.

That said, evangelicals and the religious right suck rocks.

The place itself is beautiful. Evangelicals ruin it for me.

[Surfah]

Actually, I liked it very much. I lived in Columbia for a few years and had it been my lot to stay there then I would have been just fine with it.

That said, evangelicals and the religious right suck rocks.

Columbia is where Amish kids run away to.

[San Juan Sun]

Listening to Santorum's speech. A few thoughts:

An arguably crass mention of his ill daughter
He will attempt to paint Romney as ideologically similar to Obama
States that Obama wants to "rule over" America
Notably more critical of Obama's motives and nature than Romney
By my count six references to Romney, none to Gingrich

IMHO, these next 72 hours are the high water mark of the Santorum campaign.

[pellegrino]

Columbia is where Amish kids run away to.

I know, we saw a few.

[pellegrino]

The place itself is beautiful. Evangelicals ruin it for me.

they keep a lower profile in Columbia, plenty of liberal profs in town.