Romney Under Gun to Win in New Hampshire

Things are lining up well for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is announcing his bid for the Republican presidential nomination Thursday. He’s raking in cash like there’s no tomorrow, and other candidates aren’t picking up traction yet. But a victory in New Hampshire, the nation’s second primary/caucus state, will be vital to Romney’s chances, Politico reports.

The most recent CNN/WMUR poll shows him with a large lead in New Hampshire. But his top competitors there, including former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and perhaps former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, know Romney needs a win and will obviously work hard to prevent it.

An endorsement from the influential Union Leader newspaper could be crucial. In 2008, it chose John McCain over Romney and others. This time around, “we’re neither warm nor cold on Romney,” Union Leader publisher Joe McQuaid told Politico. “He’s one of the field, and I don’t think it’s a bad field at all.”