In the seemingly never-ending GOP primary race, which is arguably at the same position today as it was before it even started, we come to our newest battleground. Last night, the state of Illinois voted in a primary for their choice as the Republican candidate for president, and Mitt Romney finally won a decisive victory.
Rick Santorum, who is positioning himself as the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, had a lot riding on this, and now he has even more at stake in the next few contests. While he most likely won’t be able to overtake Romney in actual delegates, he may be able to stay competitive to the point of bringing the fight all the way to the floor of the Republican Convention in Tampa.
However, Mitt Romney is doing everything in his power to fend off such an event. He is reaching deep into his campaign coffers for advertising. In the days leading up to the Illinois primary, Romney outspent Santorum 7 to 1 in all of Illinois, and 21 to 1 in the greater Chicago area. This is a pattern that will most likely continue until Romney is the only man in the race.
How did the candidates fare across the state? What poll results surprised the pundits, or caused consternation for those running? Who won the night, both in the short and long term? Is the race coming to a close, or did it just get a little longer?
Guest:
Mark Barabak, Political Writer, Los Angeles Times