The LuLac Edition #1992, March 20th, 2012

Mitt Romney tonight after Illinois win.

ROMNEY WINS IN THE LAND OF LINCOLN

Mitt Romney won a huge victory over Rick Santorum in the Illinois primary tonight solidifying his grip on the Republican front-runner’s spot. The victory also improved his chances of locking up the nomination by the end of the presidential primary season which finishes in June.
Meanwhile, Santorum, was dealt a serious setback in his quest to send the GOP battle into a floor fight at the nominating convention in late August.
Romney carried the largely suburban collar counties around Chicago by 20 percentage points, and built a lead that Santorum was unable to overcome.
The Republican race has become a divisive contest between the party’s establishment which overwhelmingly back Romney, and the conservative grass-roots base, which has been had to contend with both Santorum and Newt Gingrich as alternatives to Romney. Then there’s Ron Paul.
A big challenge facing Romney, will be to bridge that gap and begin to heal a party that faces a tough general election fight in the fall against President Obama and his tanned, rested, ready and loquacious Veep Joe Biden.
However, Santorum, is not likely to surrender any time soon. Rep. Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich, who placed far back in Illinois, as they have in the vast majority of the delegate contests aren’t quitting soon either. If Santorum fails to pull a good vote in his home state, here in Pennsylvania, you’ll see party chieftains coalesce around Mitt Romney. Quickly.