In what is seen as the, do or die state of Ohio for Rick Santorum, last weeks eleven point lead has degenerated into a statistical dead heat. Father Rick is banking on his western Pennsylvania blue collar appeal to help him in the buckeye state. However, he has continued to target his rhetoric on social conservative religious issues, which many attribute to his drop in the polls. In Tennessee, where just three days ago he held a twenty one point lead, it now stands at just four. In Oklahoma, Santorum is maintaining a fifteen point edge over Romney.
So where Father Rick stood to gain at least three states on Super Tuesday, now he looks to hold only one in the bag. In Georgia, it looks like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is going to carry his home state. So with Gingrich concentrating on Georgia, and Oklahoma looking like Santorums only sure thing, that leaves the other eight contests within Romneys grasp. However, in North Dakota, Ron Paul is expected to give Romney a run for his money, some are even saying Congressman Paul has a good chance to carry the state.
However, despite all the good news for Romney, the man still has a likability problem that shows no sign of going away in the days ahead. His often robotic uncomfortable perception remains, and is something that he is definitely going to have to improve on in the coming weeks. If he wins the lion share of states this Tuesday, it should relieve some of the pressure to keep pace with Father Rick, and the lunatic fringe. I put my money on Romney last August, and while his competitors will linger, Tuesday will signal the beginning of the end for the rest of the field. I think this will particularly hold true if Romney pulls out a win in Ohio. The next step will be if he can repair the damage his opponents have inflicted, not to mention the damage he has done to himself.
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