I’m smack in the middle of Mitt country (NYC), and the best his most loyal backers attempt to defend him with is that the base will vote anyway, but independents and moderates who voted for Barry in 2008 and are turned off to him now could go for the socially moderate Romney, not for a socon firebreather like Santorum.
I think they’re both right and wrong. Santorum would be toast in a general IMO, but lots of conservative-leaning independents will sit at home IMO if/when Romney is the nominee.
All 3 candidates have a segment that will not vote for them. So we have to go with the person that has the least amount that will stay home and that is Santorum.