It comes as no surprise that Mitt Romney won the G.O.P. primary in New Hampshire. He seems to fit well with the political climate of the state, and he is well known for his governance of the neighboring state of Massachusetts. Even attacks from the highly conservative groups within the state were not sufficient to stop him from winning decisively.

 

What is more interesting about the New Hampshire primary is that Ron Paul finished second. Paul was greatly criticized for his decision to take some time off of the campaign after the Iowa caucus before the New Hampshire vote. Some thought this to be foolish, pointing to the fact that he is, perhaps, not in it to win.

Now, as the primaries head south, Ron Paul has even greater momentum. The latest Rasmussen Reports show him among the top tier candidates in South Carolina, currently tying with Senator Rick Santorum. Mitt Romney is still ahead in this race, but the Ron Paul movement is gaining.

He seems to be drawing a lot of attention from independent voters who are no longer impressed with the G.O.P.’s stand on many issues, including foreign policy. If Paul continues to gain, he may turn this contest into a race after all. Repeatedly coming in second and third in these early primaries points to him as a true contender in the race for the republican seat.

Could Ron Paul win the race? It seems Romney still has a decided lead in most states, but Paul is putting in a good show. He may end up bringing enough interest to make him a strong candidate for the vice presidential nomination, if the two men can come to terms on some of their differences. It is still early, too, so Republicans still have a long time before they can decidedly declare a winner in this heated battle.