Reasons for Optimism.

[AlexMerced]

Exit polling showed that Ron Paul drives new voters, intedpendant voters to the polls which makes him look more electable.

No matter what the result, his numbers are super respectable and no one can deny he's a quantity going forward.

Gingrich, Perry, and Bachmann are done.

If we can hold on to a strong second place in NH, we can move foward then focus on Nevada.

[FriedChicken]

The numbers are very respectable, there is reason for optimism, yes.
Bless you for trying but even if you prevent me from waking up tomorrow depressed ... you can't save all the others.

We needed a win here.
We still might even get it but ... eh, I'm not so optimistic about that.

[kmalm585]

Iowa was so close that once Santorum starts getting attacked his numbers will drop. Romney can't get over the 25% hump. So, Ron needs to go after those Santorum votes and finish atleast a strong second in NH. He's still in the thick of this. A close 3rd place finish isn't bad at all.

[Paulitics 2011]

There's nothing to b optimistic for in Iowa. We can only hope that Santorum gets vetted now.

[Blue]

Time to turn up the heat on Santorum and Romney for the next week. NON STOP ATTACK ADS

I don't wanna hear "shouldn't attack/be nice" BS. If they want to win this thing, they have to go all out against them.

[limequat]

Satorum is done today. This is his high water mark. Gotta pound on Romney and grind out every last delegate we can get.

[lx43]

I know one thing, whoever the nominee is of the republican party I will not vote for him unless its Ron Paul.

[zerosdontcount]

This turned out fine. The heat won't be on Paul this week and he will do well in NH. Santorum wil get some serious heat this week as he is vetted.

[mcgraw_wv]

IGNORE Santorum... We should spend no resource of effort attacking him... He will fall on his own. With Romney winning, this is his campaign to lose.

[AlexMerced]

We're out of the limelight, I have hopes we can pull out a maccain and go from 3rd in iowa to 1st in NH in the upcoming week, cause we now have a lot of independant cred after today.

[Feelgood]

Second in NH when we cant even get second in Iowa? Not gonna happen. Ron will probably come in fourth in NH, if we are lucky. Something like Romney, Santorum, Huntsman, Paul. Seriously guys, wake up, stop being Bachmann like delusional. It's over. They will do whatever they need to make sure this doesn't happen. I can see the third party questions coming up.

[AlexMerced]

Second in NH when we cant even get second in Iowa? Not gonna happen. Ron will probably come in fourth in NH, if we are lucky. Something like Romney, Santorum, Huntsman, Paul. Seriously guys, wake up, stop being Bachmann like delusional. It's over. They will do whatever they need to make sure this doesn't happen. I can see the third party questions coming up.

ROn Paul will not run third party period, I stake my reputation on it. We are a very strong second in NH, and tonights numbers should hopefully demostrate our pull with independants and gain us some ground in NH.

No Ron Paul third party, if it comes to that we'll have to coalesce around Gary Johnson, which I'm fine with after we've done everything in our power to win this thing.

[J_White]

need to go after Romney and Santa both, thats the only thing we can do in 1 week
MSM have got their Non Romney candidate and they will pimp him like no other.
Paul needs to come 2nd in NH, if he comes 3rd again, we are in trouble.

oh, i forgot Huntsman ! he will have the surge before NH, so be ready for that.

[LopTarDaBoo]

Do not sweat this outcome. Romney and Santorum are people that Paul can beat.

Romney has positives from his home states, but will be constantly hammered on Obamacare and his inconsistency. He's slick but the contrast between him and Paul will become stark once the field thins.

Santorum has not been vetted and I hate to play the unelectable card, but he's unelectable in the general election! Santorum can't pull Independents and Democrats will avoid him like the plague. He also needs to find a funding source. Romney has Goldman Sachs, but who will keep Santorum afloat?

Paul will have knock down fights in every state. Every GOP insider is pushing against him--openly or behind the scenes. We need to start here and gradually work our way up, one percent at a time. Stay positive and reach out to other candidates followers as they drop out.