Will Santorum + Gingrich block Romney?

"there’s a big difference between [Romney] thinking that this election is fundamentally about reversing a few years of sluggish economic growth, and [Santorum/Gingrich] thinking that it’s fundamentally about reaffirming (or rejecting) the commitment to limited government and liberty that has defined America across two glorious centuries."

--Jeffrey Anderson, Weekly Standard

RealClearPolitics correspondent Scott Conroy has discussed in greater detail my point yesterday that only Romney is gripped with the charge to secure the 1,144 delegates needed to win the Republican presidential nomination. Conroy states that if Mitt fails to nail down a delegate majority, “all bets may be off.” Conroy adds it seems to be Romney, not Santorum, who has “the most to gain” from any Gingrich exit from the field.

Gingrich originally pitched this argument in his Tuesday “concession” (he didn’t really concede anything) speech after losing in Alabama and Mississippi. Now analysts are climbing on board, including Conroy’s RealClearPolitics colleague Sean Trende, who said:

People are assuming if Newt gets out, it helps Santorum because it sets up a one-on-one contest against Romney. But by Newt staying in, he’s actually gobbling up some of Romney’s delegates. And that’s the name of the game at this point: keeping Romney below 1,144. So I think Newt staying in actually helps Santorum.

In the end, it’s not going to be the math. It’s going to come down to Santorum’s ability or inability to excite the conservative Republican masses, now that he has real visibility and several wins under his belt. But Gingrich could maybe help a little.