The superPAC spent nearly $6 million on largely negative ads last week, and still the candidate won Ohio's crucial primary by less than 1 percent. Experts can't measure the effectiveness of superPAC advertising. But some believe it is discouraging voters from going to the polls.
Ohio Attorney General On Santorum Campaign
On March - 7 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Robert Siegel talks to Ohio Attorney General and Rick Santorum supporter Mike DeWine about the results of Super Tuesday.
Fall Senate Races Shaping Up
On March - 7 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Political writer Shira Toeplitz of CQ Roll Call talks with Melissa Block about the high profile Senate races taking shape in 2012.
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The Fight For The GOP Nomination Is Over, But it Still Will Go On
On March - 7 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Usually by this time in the nominating contests, the GOP has given its heart to its hero and it's lights out for the rest. But once again, the GOP of 2012 refused to read the usual script.
In Ohio, Kaptur Beats Kucinich; Schmidt Upset By Wenstrup
On March - 7 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Kucinich's defeat represents the end of a remarkable political career, at least for the time being, which started when he was elected to the Cleveland City Council at age 23. He later became the youngest mayor of a major U.S. city when he was elected Cleveland's chief executive in 1977.
Ohio Exit-Poll Surprise: Romney Draws Low-Income, No-College Voters
On March - 6 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Romney got 47 percent of voters 65 or over while Santorum got 31 percent of that vote. If Romney goes on to win the Ohio primary, it may be these older voters who gave him the critical edge.
As More Advertisers Flee Limbaugh, Pro-Gingrich SuperPAC Buys More Time
On March - 6 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Just as dozens of advertisers were abandoning Rush Limbaugh's radio show, a pro-Gingrich superPAC actually increased its ad buy on the program. Rick Tyler, a spokesman for Winning Our Future explained that Limbaugh's show reaches more of the primary voters the superPAC wants to reach than any other show.
Santorum, Romney Win 3 States Each; Ohio Awaits
On March - 6 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Super Tuesday looks to be a split decision. Mitt Romney won more states and far more delegates than Rick Santorum but trailed among core GOP constituencies — Southerners and evangelicals.
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Obama To Romney: ‘Good Luck Tonight … Really’
On March - 6 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Asked about Romney charging he's the "most feckless" president since Carter, Obama smiled and wished the Republican presidential contender the best in today's Super Tuesday contests.
Remembering New Jersey’s First Black Congressman
On March - 6 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
New Jersey's first black Congressman, Donald Payne, died today at the age of 77. He was known as a strong advocate for education and civil rights during his 23 years in office. He also championed international causes like HIV prevention, malaria treatment and famine aid. Host Michel Martin remembers Congressman Payne's legacy.
Super Tuesday: 4 Things To Watch
On March - 6 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
In a race where the first candidate to reach 1,144 delegates wins the GOP nomination, Mitt Romney starts the day with the wind at his back. With 437 delegates up for grabs in 10 states, Super Tuesday voting could reshape the race.
Super Tuesday: 10 States Holding Nominating Contests
On March - 6 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Republican presidential candidates have a chance to win hundreds of convention delegates after voters cast their ballots in Super Tuesday contests. The delegate count wouldn't be enough for any candidate to clinch the nomination, but it would help.
Obama Campaign Ramps Up Efforts Early In Virginia
On March - 6 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
While Republican candidates slug it out for their party's White House nomination, President Obama is getting a head start on the general election. His campaign is opening offices, lining up volunteers and identifying supporters in swing states, including Virginia, which holds its GOP primary Tuesday.
Rush To Judgment: Advertisers Flee Limbaugh’s Show
On March - 6 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Advertisers and conservative commentators have denounced the undisputed king of political radio talk in the wake of sexually charged comments he made about a Georgetown law student. It is far from Limbaugh's first such episode, but two things make this incident stand out: the nature of the target and the timing of his comments.
Romney’s Wins Have Come With Negative Messages
On March - 6 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney hopes he can firm up his front-runner status in the 10 Super Tuesday nominating contests. But that status, as an NPR analysis shows, has so far come from when he and the pro-Romney superPAC have buried the opposition with negative messages.
Super Tuesday: At A Glance
On March - 5 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Ten states hold presidential nominating contests on Tuesday. While the scope is smaller than Super Tuesdays in the past, the candidates are still fighting fiercely for delegates.
On Super Tuesday Eve, All Eyes On The Buckeye State Prize
On March - 5 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
In a final day of campaigning before Super Tuesday, Republicans Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum focused on the economy in Ohio, the most sought after prize of the 10 states voting or caucusing. A week ago, Santorum had a substantial lead in Ohio polls; now he's in a statistical dead heat with Romney.
Obama Shifts G-8 From Chicago To Camp David
On March - 5 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
It was an unusual late location change for a large and highly scripted international summit, planned for May 18-19. A White House national security spokesman said the new setting will allow for more intimate discussions among the leaders of the major industrialized nations.
Pollster: Romney Surges Despite More GOP Ohioans Agreeing With Santorum
On March - 5 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Significantly more Ohio Republicans believe Santorum shares their views than Romney does and yet the race is a tie? What's going on? It appears it's all about electability. Romney crushes Santorum on that dimension.
Our Brains, Betrayed By Political Flip-Flops
On March - 5 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
The human brain craves predictability, according to neuroscientists, and when politicians appear to flip-flop, our brains don't like it. Often, we feel betrayed. NPR science correspondents Jon Hamilton, Alix Spiegel and Shankar Vedantam talk about why we're hard-wired to appreciate consistency.
Inconsistency: The Real Hobgoblin
On March - 5 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Why are politicians and those of us who vote for them so obsessed with inconsistency? We take that question on from three angles: how our brains are wired; the psychology of judging what's consistent; and how consistency plays out in leadership styles.
GOP Candidates Brace For Super Tuesday Contests
On March - 5 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
It all comes down to Ohio. That's the view of many political observers one day ahead of Super Tuesday's 10 Republican contests. Can Mitt Romney use his Michigan win as a springboard to achieve victory in the economically- and demographically-similar state next door? Or, will Romney's lack of home-state advantages give Santorum a slight edge?
Eric Cantor Endorses Mitt Romney
On March - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney received a key endorsement Sunday morning when House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia endorsed Romney on NBC's Meet the Press.
Candidates See Super Tuesday On The Horizon
On March - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mara Liasson about the week ahead in politics, which includes the 10 Republican contests of Super Tuesday.
