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That's true - Romney won't have someone from his hip pocket in a position of power in the New Hampshire GOP, which is bad for him generally speaking and good for the other candidates, who might be able to take advantage in this early state since some people in power won't have their thumb on the scale in favor of one candidate (in this case, Romney).

I'm afraid Sarah's showing in the straw poll isn't that good, considering that she has a high profile as a strong leader of the conservative voice more so than any other candidate. While she hasn't had any presence in the state to speak of, she has been on the vanguard of Republican/Conservative issues in the national debate. She has a higher profile than Romney, Paul, and Pawlenty, and all three finished ahead of her. So in this regard she is not an outsider.

Of course, any conclusion, especially at this early juncture, is premature. That being said, Sarah is certainly one of the potential beneficiaries of these developments, but as to how much of an impact they will have, we will have to wait until she formally enters the race, if she even decides to enter the race.