Exit Romney

Mitt Romney's withdrawal from the Republican race today was a manifestation of the candidate's sharp pencil mentality. It had become clear that continuing to write checks would be putting good money after bad. Ending the bloodletting now enhances his standing within the G.O.P. for future opportunities. Romney was doing well in caucuses, where his cash translated into organizational strength that was magnified in non-primary states. Other than in his three "home" states, Romney consistently finished second or worse in the more broadly representative primary elections. Given the Republican tendency, George W. Bush being the exception, to give the nomination to the perceived next one in line, the former Massachusetts governor may be at the head of that line in 2012 or 2016. The Mormon factor will remain part of the calculus, however. Evangelical voters never warmed up to Romney, and the monolithic Mormon support for their co-religionist in the Utah primary and the mountain state caucuses was striking and will not discourage the notion held by some voters that something a little strange is going on within that faith.

Blackout