Republican GOP Race

So, to recap:

Iowa Caucus:

Rick Santorum	29,839	24.6%
Mitt Romney	29,805	24.5%
Ron Paul	26,036	21.4%
Newt Gingrich	16,163	13.3%
Rick Perry	12,557	10.3%
Michele Bachmann	6,046	5%
Jon Huntsman	739	0.6%
Other	316	0.3%

Source: AP

Rick Santorum wins by a hair in Iowa, which I find truly bizarre considering how progressive Iowa tends to be.  I mean, Santorum is a one-man intolerance factory.  In one of the first states to legalize same-sex marriage...he has that strong a showing?  Buhwah?  A case of "not Romney?"  Is hard to tell.  You do have to give him some credit for essentially coming out of nowhere to win like that, even if the margin is pretty pathetic.

New Hampshire Primary

Mitt Romney	97,532	39.3%
Ron Paul	56,848	22.9%
Jon Huntsman	41,945	16.9%
Newt Gingrich	23,411	9.4%
Rick Santorum	23,362	9.4%
Rick Perry	1,766	0.7%
Other	3,621	1.5%

Source: AP Not surprisingly, Romney wins in New Hampshire.  I mean, the man was Governor of Massachusetts, and if he wasn't able to wield some influence in NH he didn't need to be running.  Also unsurprising was Paul's showing...New Hampshire does like their against-the-grain politicians.

South Carolina Primary:

Newt Gingrich	243,153	40.4%
Mitt Romney	167,279	27.8%
Rick Santorum	102,055	17%
Ron Paul	77,993	13%
Other	10,686	1.8%

Source: AP

TIME had a nice story about how filthy politics can get in South Carolina, so it shouldn't be a shock to anyone that Newt Gingrich pulled off the win.  What I find more interesting is that Newt is doing so strongly  despite all the allegations of a debauched lifestyle so devoid of the party's prized social conservatism.  It shows exactly how fragmented the base is.

What's even more interesting is we have no idea where the race is after three states.  Newt and Mitt battle for the front runner spot, while Paul is in a perfect spoiler position with the number of delegates he's earned thus far.  Santorum too, is keeping enough momentum going to allow him to muddy the waters.

Curious.  VERY curious.