The REAL final tally: 11 delegates each for Santorum & Romney, 3 for paul (estimated).
That isn't stopping the media from proclaiming this a Romney 'win' though.
Does anyone really believe this close a margin could survive a recount?
There can be no recount. This is not a winner-take-all scenario.
This is effectively a win for Rick Santorum, who won with far-lesser money. Political success, at least on the Right, attracts the money. If investments in politicians are not the usual investments, they can be extremely lucrative. If Santorum can win over the well-heeled and politically-active oil, mining, agribusiness, and munitions industries, he wins the Republican nomination.
As I see it, Santorum faces no meaningful competition from a Christian Protestant fundamentalist. Rick Perry has 'suspended his campaign'. The Opus Dei segment of the Roman Catholic Church (I don't know if he is a member, but he has much the ideology) agrees with most white Protestant fundamentalists on reproductive rights, sexuality, militarism, school prayer, welfare, and corporate power. Republicans who distrust Mitt Romney and cavil at some of the purist Libertarian positions of Ron Paul can easily vote for Rick Santorum who melds the interests of Corporate America with the harsh values of the Religious Right.
Rick Santorum effectively rebuilds the electoral coalition of George W. Bush.
I may have been wrong in stating that the Republicans cannot hit President Obama from the Right on issues of national defense and foreign policy. Having heard victory speeches by both Romney and Santorum, I am now satisfied that the Republicans can.
Aggressive warfare is on the table with these fellows.
