The South, a traditional conservative bastion that for decades has been critical to fortunes of Republican presidential contenders, could prove far more competitive than expected this fall if Republican front-runner Mitt Romney fails over the next few months to broaden his support there.
Southern hospitality was certainly in short supply for Romney on Super Tuesday. He was trounced in Tennessee, Oklahoma and Georgia, in defeats that appear all the more daunting when set against the backdrop of a previous defeat in South Carolina. Outside Florida, Romney has yet to win a Southern state, where voters are clearly looking for a more conservative standard-bearer.
Moreover, this year is unlike recent general elections, when Republicans could safely assume an advantage south of the Mason-Dixon Line. This year, the GOP faces a Democratic incumbent who four years ago won Virginia and North Carolina — albeit in a more favorable political environment.
