In a not-so-shocking announcement, Gov. Bob McDonnell threw his political support behind former governor Mitt Romney in the Republican bid for the White House.
The show of support for Romney came a day prior to the GOP primary in South Carolina, a primary that some analysts say could make Romney’s place as the GOP presidential nominee a sure thing if he wins by double-digits.
But the recent poll numbers for Romney in South Carolina don’t look promising for the “inevitable Republican presidential nominee.”
Indeed, Romney has been closely flanked, if not beaten, by a perceivably more conservative GOP presidential candidate in each of the primaries so far: Rick Santorum in Iowa, Jon Huntsman in New Hampshire, and now possibly Newt Gingrich in the Gamecock state. Obviously, there is nothing inevitable about Romney’s succession to the throne of least reprehensive joke of the political right (i.e. GOP presidential nominee).
Ultimately, it appears as though Team Obama is geared up to confront Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election. Moreover, the Obama reelection team may even be hoping for a Romney GOP victory due to his ability to split the GOP base between those who want a more conservative presidential nominee and those who just want to beat President Obama at any cost.
Unquestionably, though, the current infighting among the GOP presidential stooges is making for a great deal of invaluable sound bites that the Obama reelection team will be able to use to regain the presidency. It’s always nice, after all, to have your enemies pick apart each other’s soft-spots before you do.
When Gov. McDonnell threw his support behind Mitt Romney, it could have been seen as a shoe-in for Romney in Virginia’s GOP presidential primary. But if Romney loses in South Carolina it would mean that a one-time tea party favorite’s endorsement, Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina, could not lock up a win for the former governor of Massachusetts. Thus, McDonnell’s endorsement may not be enough for Romney is Virginia. What could ultimately result is a rethinking by those still on the fence about whether to back Romney or not.
The myth of the inevitable candidate may have taken a huge step back today in South Carolina.
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
