Mitt Romney's sole strong suits were people making over $200,000, moderates and non-tea partiers, making him look like Jon Huntsman in this primary state.Â South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's endorsement did not have the impact that was projected -- pulling back the curtain?on her 34% in-state approval rating despite her rising national profile.  At the Romney HQ, the atmosphere was like someone died before a big party, but the caterers still arrived, standing glumly behind the cash bar.  Supporters on bleachers behind the podium were prompted to chant "Florida! Florida!" as a way of pivoting attention forward from the debacle that was unfolding as Newt was declared the early winner.  The state of the race has fundamentally changed in the course of one dizzying week.Â The inevitability narrative that surrounded Mitt Romney -- along with the claim that he was the only GOP candidate to ever win both Iowa and New Hampshire consecutively -- has collapsed. Rick Santorum was belatedly declared the real winner of Iowa on Thursday morning and that same day Rick Perry dropped out of the race and immediately endorsed Newt Gingrich.  Over the course of two contentious debates, Romney was hammered on his failure to release his taxes, the revelation that he pays a 15% rate and reports that he has accounts in the Cayman Islands.Â The result was a stunning reversal of fortune, from 10 percentage points up in the polls a week ago to a double-digit loss on primary day.  Gingrich revived his campaign with pugnacious debate performances punctuated with deep policy knowledge.Â Two-thirds of voters said the debates had helped determine their vote and not surprisingly those voters mostly cast their ballot for Gingrich.  In addition, Team Newt's ever-present attack on Mitt Romney as a "Massachusetts Moderate" seemed to have special resonance south of the Mason-Dixon line.
Newt Gingrich has pulled a Double Lazarus, coming back from the dead twice in this campaign to win decisively in South Carolina.Exit polls showed a broad and deep victory in this conservative state,...