Keller @ Large: Romney The Frontrunner In NH, For Now
BOSTON (CBS) - So now that we know the finish line in New Hampshire is on Jan. 10, where does the race stand as of today?
The most recent CNN poll had former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney up by 27 percentage points over Herman Cain. But if we know anything about the New Hampshire primary, it's that it's never over until it's over.
Rick Perry, who is already on the air with his first New Hampshire TV ad that targets President Barack Obama, trashes Romney in a new online video.
WBZ-TV's Jon Keller Is At Large
"What we should be looking for out of New Hampshire is who's the Republican alternative to Mitt Romney," said David King of Harvard's Kennedy School.
King notes that Romney has won the big New Hampshire endorsements, won the money race, and won all recent polls by big margins.
But...
"New Hampshire voters are notoriously fickle. It's not clear they tell the truth when it comes to pollsters," said King.
With half the voters saying they might change their minds, Romney is doing all he can to make sure Perry's New Hampshire polling woes persist.
The danger in the next 61 days for Romney is that someone else, who recent polls suggest might be Cain or Ron Paul, will consolidate support from the considerable anyone-but-Romney crowd.
"Mitt Romney should win the New Hampshire primary, but if he doesn't win by enough, then it'll look like a loss for him," said King.
And that could be disastrous for Romney, who is not expected to do very well in Iowa and may struggle in South Carolina, which is 11 days after New Hampshire votes.
You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.
