Following former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, the South Carolina primary is shaping up to be the last stand for many of his competitors.
Romney is headed to the state with a key endorsement from South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and a lead in recent polls. He’s also been given high marks by Sen. Jim DeMint, who said on Mark Levin’s radio show Tuesday night that Romney was sounding good to him.
“I was just sitting here listening to the Romney acceptance speech, and he’s hitting a lot of the hot buttons for me about balancing the budget, and frankly I’m a little concerned about the few Republicans who have criticized some of what I consider free market principles here,” DeMint said.
“I’m still not going to endorse, Mark, because Republicans are yet united and I want to focus on the Senate,” he said. “I think whoever gets elected as a Republican, I want to help deliver a conservative Senate, otherwise it doesn’t matter who is in the White House.”
Later in the program, DeMint predicted a Romney win in his state.
“Some of the others who might have had an advantage here have really crossed paths, crossed ways with some Republicans as they have criticized free enterprise concepts,” DeMint said, clearly referencing former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
“It’s possible Gingrich or Santorum might make another run at it here. I just don’t know,” he then said, softening his prediction. “I know Perry has been spending some time here, but he doesn’t seem to be getting a lot of traction. And I think after Iowa and New Hampshire, it’s going to be tough.”
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