Top Line
Mitt Romney's win in the Florida primary decisively puts wind in the former Massachusetts governor's sails. But will it be enough to float him toward a speedy wrap up of the nomination? The Top Line team says… not so fast.
Yahoo! News bureau chief David Chalian explains that Romney must stay on offense in order to ensure that Newt Gingrich does not come back to life. Romney also needs to carefully try to repair some of his damage with Independents all while quietly nudging his primary challengers out of the race and start taking on the general election battle with President Obama on a daily basis. Not easy to do all of that simultaneously!
ABC's Rick Klein points out that the states coming next include some familiar territory for Romney. Of the next six states to choose delegates, Romney won five of them in 2008 — when he lost the nomination. Next up is Nevada with its large Mormon population, and the month ends with voting in Michigan, where Romney was born and raised.
And ABC News Political Director Amy Walter points out that what was key for Romney in Florida will remain key in future contests: organization. The well-organized Romney campaign targeted Florida's early and absentee voters and the Florida exit poll showed a whopping 42% of Florida voters said they decided on their candidate BEFORE last month. Ads are important. But, organization is too.