Romney Wins Illinois

Romney doesn't just have a victory--it's a commanding one ... or is it?

Erick Erickson writes:

Last night in Illinois, Mitt Romney won his first victory without caveats.

Even in Florida, a big win, there were plenty — counties that saw increased turnout rejected him. The northern part of the state rejected him. It required an amalgamation of voters not quite typical of the base to get Romney the nod in Florida. In Illinois, Romney won. Period.

Jeb Bush, certainly thinks so too as he just endorsed Romney. Hot Air opines:

That ends one of the supposed scenarios for a brokered convention. Some had figured that the most likely non-candidate to prevail in an open floor fight would either be Jeb Bush or Mitch Daniels. Bush’s endorsement takes that off the table, and with it any reason to push for a brokered convention to get another candidate onto the ticket. Bush made sense as a way to carry Florida, a much-needed swing state in the fall, while Daniels has remained consistently hostile to any sort of run, and the GOP should carry Indiana this time.

On the other hand, Romney is still unpopular. Compare this graph of Romney vs. McCain:




A recent Gallup Poll suggests that enthusiasm levels for Romney are below those of McCain:


And who knows: Maybe The Race is Just Getting Started? But Nate Silver says it's pretty much over (albeit not quickly) and I'd tend to agree. Romney may be an imperfect candidate but he is not an insane candidate. If he can get out from attack-other-Republicans mode and into Attack-Obama mode he will see his positives increase. More importantly: if it looks like Santorum simply cannot win? His funding will dry up.

I'd written this earlier for a friend who was not looking forward to Romney. I will repeat it here :)

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Romney

It's beginning to look a lot like Romney

Everywhere you poll

Take a look at Iowa

Lemmings once again

As the so-cons take their toll!

It's begnning to look a lot like Romney

Ads on every TV

But the best ads that are playing

Are the ones by

the losers screaming "commie!"

A pair of anti-gay candidates

Are Bachmann and San-tor-um

Revived neo-con wash outs

are the hopes for Perry and Newt!

And for all the GOP voters

It's why are they all so dumb!?

It's begning to look a lot like Romney

Everywhere you poll

There's Ron Paul talking conspiracy

Publshing news letters

and buying gold!

It's begining to look a lot like Romney

Too bad Huntsman won't start!

And T-Paw, he quit early

And Romney flip-flops

like an Art!