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South Poses Primary and General Election Problems for Romney

The South complicates things for Mitt Romney in both the primaries and against Barack Obama

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[Edited to correct typos]

If Romney is smart, and wins the nomination, he will ask Gingrich to be his running mate to help carry the South. This was basically John Kennedy's strategy in asking Lyndon Johnson to be his running mate. Back in 1960 there was much anti-Catholic sentiment in the South. Not wanting to suffer a re-run of 1928, when anti-Catholic Southern sentiment sank Al Smith's candidacy, Kennedy put a Southern Protestant on the ticket. The South has finally gotten over its anti-Cathoic bias but is still anti-Mormon. Gingrich, who was raised Baptist but is now Catholic, still has that Southern, "good-ol'-boy" image and could help Romney carry the South.

Florida Warren of FL 10:42AM March 08, 2012

If Romney is smart, and wins the nomination, he will ask Gingrich to be his running mate to help carry the South. This was basically John Kennedy's strategy in asking Lyndon Johnson to be his running mate. Back in 1960 there was much anti-Catholic sentiment in the South. Not wanting to suffer a re-run of 1928, when anti-Catholic Southern sentiment sank Al Smith's candidacy, Kennedy put a Southern Protestant on the ticket. The South has finally gotten over its anti-Cathoic bias but is still anti-Mormon. Gingrich, who was raised Baptist but is now Catholic, still has that Souther, "good-ol'-boy" image and could helot Romney carry the South.

Florida Warren of FL 10:40AM March 08, 2012

Picking Santorum as VP will not help Mitt. The south doesn't love Santorum, they like the fact that he's not Romney. He'd be better going for someone genuine to the south like Condy Rice.

Brad Sorenson of WI 5:48PM March 07, 2012