Is Rick Santorum really the final final final anti-Romney?

[Middle-aged Europe]

I'd say "no".

I'm expecting another Santorum collapse sometime around Super Tuesday, followed by a Gingrich surge.

[TheGlobalizer]

I think they've hitched their wagon.  I could be wrong, but barring some stupidity from Santorum (very possible), the anti-Romney brigades will ride The Conservative^TM to the convention.

[Eraserhead]

Another Gingrich rise remains possible.

[Politico]

I may be wrong, but I think the whole "moon base" thing sunk Gingrich once and for all. I do not foresee Paul becoming an anti-Romney. Therefore, Santorum is the last anti-Romney standing.

[King]

I may be wrong, but I think the whole "moon base" thing sunk Gingrich once and for all. I do not foresee Paul becoming an anti-Romney. Therefore, Santorum is the last anti-Romney standing.

No, it was Gingrich's terrible debate performances and Romney's money in the week prior to Florida that killed Newt.

[Politico]

I may be wrong, but I think the whole "moon base" thing sunk Gingrich once and for all. I do not foresee Paul becoming an anti-Romney. Therefore, Santorum is the last anti-Romney standing.

No, it was Gingrich's terrible debate performances and Romney's money in the week prior to Florida that killed Newt.

In Florida? Sure, but Newt has become a national punch-line over the "moon base" pandering he did in Cape Canaveral.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

I think the moon base thingy just guaranteed Newt would not rise again, but what killed him was his past, his debate performances, and Romney's money.

Santorum is the last anti-Romney, unless it goes to the convention...then the real anti-Romney will be unvieled.  

But a large chunk of the GOP base has given up on the field, which is why turnout is low.

[TheGlobalizer]

I may be wrong, but I think the whole "moon base" thing sunk Gingrich once and for all. I do not foresee Paul becoming an anti-Romney. Therefore, Santorum is the last anti-Romney standing.

I agree with this, more or less.

[Niemeyerite]

Yes, he is. End of the story.

[Likely Voter]

Yes

There has been a large group of GOP voters that have moved from one flavor to another flavor. But there are no potential flavors left and I agree Newt is done.

This leaves Mitt with a problem. In the past conservatives who soured on one candidate had another one to flock to. Now they dont. Romney is not going to convince them to vote for him, so his goal now has to be to keep them from going to the polls entirely. The only way to do that is to go negative in a big way and destroy Santorum like he did with Gingrich. The problem with that is that it will drive up Romney's own negatives in the process. At this point his SuperPAC is now considered part of his campaign and even without the "I'm Mitt Romney..." sign-off, people know he is responsible for the negative ads.  

In other words, Romney has to destroy himself to win. And there is a chance of a backlash

[Landslide Lyndon]

How is Santorum's fundraising going? Will he have the resources to compete with Romney in Michigan or will he be swamped?

[minionofmidas]

I'm getting that kind of vibe, for the first time ever. But I wouldn't stick a fork in it yet.

[The Professor]

Jmfct is correct. Santorum is the fake anti-Romney. The true anti-Romney will indeed be revealed at the convention.

[© tweed]

Jmfct is correct. Santorum is the fake anti-Romney. The true anti-Romney will indeed be revealed at the convention.

you know dude if you post more than a few times a week you start to risk a serious inflationary problem re: your reputation.

[Frodo]

I may be wrong, but I think the whole "moon base" thing sunk Gingrich once and for all. I do not foresee Paul becoming an anti-Romney. Therefore, Santorum is the last anti-Romney standing.

Yeah, this.  I am basically waiting for Gingrich to drop out at this point, which will probably be after losing Georgia to either Santorum or Romney.  And in all likelihood he will endorse Santorum and throw all his support and resources behind his candidacy.