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Mitt Romney Wins Despite Comical Unlikability: 3 Lessons From Super Tuesday
Mitt Romney came out ahead on Super Tuesday in the same way he's won most contests this primary cycle: with a resounding "Meh." He dominated Massachusetts (72.1%), had a strong finish in Massachusetts Junior (39.8% in VT), won the Idaho and Alaska caucuses, and pulled out a 1% victory over Rick Santorum in Ohio that was just unimpressive enough to keep the political media speculating about a "brokered convention" in August.So what did we learn?
1. Romney dominated among the key "people who want to vote for someone who appears on the ballot" demographic. Despite the close finish, Romney is expected to pick up 35 delegates from Ohio compared to Santorum's 21, in part due to Santorum's failure to qualify for the ballot in three districts. In Virginia, Romney will come away with 43 delegates to Ron Paul's 3.
2. If the convention is "brokered," Sarah Palin will be the wrong person to "fixer" it. In the Alaska caucuses, Palin cast her ballot for "the cheerful one…"
"Who can best bust through that radical left's kind of dispensation and desire to mistreat those who are defenseless, mistreat those who perhaps have some disadvantages by making them more beholden to government? Who best can contrast themselves from that?" she continued. “I thought who best could do that [and] my own personal opinion is, the cheerful one, is Newt Gingrich. I have appreciated what he has stood for, stood boldly for."
Newt Gingrich came in fourth in Alaska.
3. Indecision punditry is not to be messed with. Here's my colleague Gonzalo's prediction: "I predict Mitt Romney will be the big winner but the news coverage will still make it seem like he lost somehow." And the Atlantic this morning…
If [Romney] does manage to pull it out, it seems clear it will be not with a bang but a whimper. As in Ohio, it will be narrowly, down to the wire, and with the maximum amount of stress and suffering.
On to Guam and the Virgin Islands!
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images News/Getty Images
Tags: Alaska, Idaho, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Ohio, Primaries, Republicans, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Sarah Palin, Super Tuesday, Virginia -
Profiling the Personality Types of the Super Tuesday States
When attempting to predict the outcome of a huge primary day like today, it may be useful to create personality profiles for each of the states voting. Obviously, each of the states in this union has its own unique foibles and singular peccadilloes, and each of those differences will play into the candidate they ultimately chose.With that in mind, I — armed with a half-completed semester of Psychology 101 — decided it fitting to profile each of the Super Tuesday states according to the popular Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, developed by Dr. Carl Jung and used by psychologists and stalkers the world over. I hope you find this enlightening and helpful in your own predictions…
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Vermont
ISFJ (introversion, sensing, feeling, judgment)Quiet, people-oriented and kind-hearted, Vermont tends to put the needs of other above those of itself, which probably goes a long way toward explaining the smell of its citizens. Those people do realize that those crystal deodorant stick-things don't actually work, don't they? And, also, come on, get a real car. Do they still even make parts for VW buses?
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Tennessee
ISFP (introversion, sensing, feeling, perception)Quiet, serious, sensitive and kind. Unless you're not like them, in which case, get out. Seriously, out. That gun on the wall is not for show. Tennessee is not interested in leading others, except maybe to the state line. This state tends to have a "Live and Let Live" attitude, just so long as you do it nowhere near them. Enjoy your life, but way over there.
Tags: Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Primaries, Republicans, Science & Technology, Super Tuesday, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia -
Super Tuesday Predictions: Place Your Bets Now
Ilya Gerner: I believe the trees will be the right height in Massachusetts, Virginia, Vermont, Alaska, Idaho, North Dakota and even Ohio. Too many slight dogwoods in the other states for Mitt Romney to do well. Also, too many Evangelicals.Jess Dweck: Mitt Romney will win Massachusetts, Virginia and Vermont, while Rick Santorum will take Tennessee, Oklahoma and any other state that has more people than teeth. Newt Gingrich will be elected Moon President of Georgia.
Dan Poppy: Rick Santorum will win big in Oklahoma, confirming once and for all that Okies have never used Google. Mitt Romney will be genuinely surprised that there are people who like him. Ron Paul will burst into a thousand gold doubloons when a supporter slaps him on the back to congratulate him for winning Alaska. Newt Gingrich will be insufferable.
More predictions after the jump…
Tags: Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Primaries, Republicans, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Super Tuesday, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia -
Super Tuesday Liveblog: Tue. 3/6, 7pm ET
Join us here and @indecision on Super Tuesday, 3/6 at 7pm ET, as Georgianians, Idahoers, North Dakotacs, Ohioles, Tennesseers, Vermontians, Virginnies, Alaskars and the Red Sox Nation cast their votes in high school gymnasiums and elementary school gymnasiums and other gymnasiums and laundromats (pictured). We'll keep going until all the results are in or until we fall asleep.
Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images News/Getty Images
Tags: Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Liveblog, Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Primaries, Republicans, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Super Tuesday, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia
