Maryland GOP could play a big role in 2012 Republican primary

[RDM]

With so many candidates in the race, there will be a lot of votes that are up for grabs once the losers of the first few primaries drop out

Let's say that Michelle Bachmann and Rick Santorum are the first to go. Bachmann and Santorum followers will be looking for a candidate to back, and they are well to the right of Mr. Romney on social and fiscal issues. That makes them unlikely to throw in their hat with Mr. Romney, who is considered the least fiscally conservative of the candidates.

Mr. Romney may well win the first few primaries, but as the field gets whittled down it's unlikely that he'll get a majority of the supporters of any other candidate who drops out, and he is likely to fade near the end.

That means whoever is left standing among Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul will get more and more states as the primary goes along — even thought they will still have to overcome Mr. Romney's early lead.

This suggests that a protracted fight may be in store — and one in which the Maryland GOP vote, for once, might actually matter.

Read full story:
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/201...-cain-big-role

[fisharmor]

Makes sense... same thing happened last time with the Democrats. Primary turnout in Virginia was insane in 2008 compared to previous elections, because it actually mattered.