By Jordan Weinstein & Danielle Dreilinger
April 10, 2012
BOSTON — With Rick Santorum suspending his presidential campaign Tuesday, the path seems to be clear for Mitt Romney to get the Republican nomination.
Romney biographer Ronald B. Scott said the former Massachusetts governor's team was probably breathing a sigh of relief. "For one thing, they're going to stop spending $100 million a month to run a primary election campaign and they can earmark that for the general [election]," he said.
The current White House administration is anything but relieved, though, Scott said: "Romney has been the candidate that the Obama camp has feared all the way along."
Also tense: Voters on the far right. Still, Scott thought they'd come around. "I can't imagine anybody sitting out an important election like this one," Scott said. In the end, "I would guess that they would probably vote for Romney but they may not be the most enthusiastic people on Planet Earth."
As for Santorum's next steps, he seems an unlikely VP candidate but it's probable the Republican Party brass have promised him some reward for bowing out.
Looking 7 months ahead, Scott predicted a "photo finish" for Romney and Obama. Which is, he said, a good thing: "I think the debate we're going to see is going to be refreshing [and] informative."
Sweater vest sales are expected to decline.
