Mitt Romney: Not Dead Yet

Mitt Romney is running out of ways to spin his silver medals. After he lost Iowa and New Hampshire, Romney told his supporters that he was winning because he had the most votes and the most delegates. He kept up the charade first place after winning Michigan, but last night’s loss to John McCain in Florida puts Romney in second place in both those categories.

In a normal election year, this defeat would end Romney’s campaign. But this is not a normal election year, and Mitt Romney still has a shot.

Much like a cockroach after a nuclear attack, Romney has evolved to survive disappointing election showings before. He puts on a happy face, thanks his supporters, and heads to the ATM to transfer funds from his accounts into his campaign coffers before going off to campaign again.

His seemingly endless supply of funds could make the difference in Super Tuesday. With 21 contests on the same day, the candidates can’t possibly stop and connect with voters personally, which is McCain’s strength. Instead, surrogates and advertisements will introduce the candidates to voters, which plays to Romney’s well-organized and well-funded campaign.

But not even Mitt Romney’s Scrooge McDuck-like amount of money could buy the press McCain is getting today. The Arizona senator smiles on the cover of almost every major newspaper in the country, with many media outlets proclaiming him the Republican front-runner. Momentum hasn’t proven to be much of a factor in the campaign thus far, but if Super Tuesday voters are just starting to pay attention, Romney could be in trouble.

The pack of candidates in both parties is shrinking. But don’t call Mitt Romney dead just yet.