Rick wins Minnesota, Missouri, and even Colorado.
The three states may not be delegate rich, but Santorum’s clean caucus sweep has upended Mitt Romney’s aura of inevitability.
Romney is still the favorite to win the nomination. Romney has the money, the organization, and with Santorum and Gingrich both in the race they will split the anti-Mitt vote, leaving neither with a commanding count of delegates, but Tuesday night might have been a game changer for Santorum. Santorum will pull in much needed campaign cash, and his win could strengthen conservatives nationally around him. Certainly it gives Santorum grounds for claiming that he — not Newt Gingrich — is the strongest conservative alternative to Romney. For sure, Santorum did campaign aggressively in all three states. He skipped Florida’s primary, and that strategy paid off. Santorum has lived to fight another day.