Could Mitt Lose Michigan?

[Geee]

American Spectator:

Mitt Romney appeared to regain his footing this weekend. After being swept by Rick Santorum in the Missouri primary and in the Minnesota and Colorado caucuses, Romney rebounded with victories in the CPAC straw poll and the week-long Maine caucus.

But Romney could soon face his toughest battle yet, and in the place he would have least expected it: Michigan. Rick Santorum is winning over Republicans and blue collar Reagan Democrats in the Wolverine State and has scratched his way to the top of the polls. The American Research Group currently has Santorum leading Romney by six points (33 percent to 27 percent). Meanwhile, Public Policy Polling gives Santorum an even more substantial lead of fifteen points (39 percent to 24 percent) and notes that he is ahead in every area of the state except Oakland County, where Romney grew up. This is not good news for Romney.

Should Romney lose to Santorum in Michigan, be it by six points or fifteen, it will be a stinging rebuke. After all, the people of Michigan thrice elected his father George Romney during the 1960s, though one could argue that the elder Romney is a distant memory now. That said, the younger Romney convincingly won the state's 2008 primary, beating eventual GOP nominee John McCain by nine points. A loss in Michigan on Feb. 28 could very well put a dagger through the heart of Romney's campaign, even if he were to win the Arizona primary later that same evening. If Romney can't beat Rick Santorum in Michigan, then how could he expect beat President Obama there?