With Mitt Romney’s significant win in the Nevada caucus Saturday, it remains to be seen if he’ll ride the wave of victory to gain favor in today’s Minnesota and Colorado caucuses.
But Romney came under fire when he was quoted last week saying he “was not concerned about the very poor,” who have a “safety net” to aid them in tough times.
Romney has taken back the comments several times and clarified that his quote was taken out of context.
Soon after Romney made the statement, he was endorsed by Donald Trump on Thursday. But Trump’s stamp of approval may not mean much, according to political science professor Christopher Kenny.
“Trump’s endorsement won’t help him,” Kenny said. “The timing of [the endorsement and Romney’s controversial quote] together was not a good thing for Romney.”
The results of the Nevada Republican caucus were officially announced Monday. Romney led the race with 16,486 votes  — more than half the total votes — while Newt Gingrich followed in second, gaining 6,956 votes, or 21 percent.
Ron Paul pulled in at 19 percent with 6,175 votes, and Rick Santorum came in last with 10 percent, or 3,277 votes.
After Gingrich’s significant loss in Nevada, he announced he would continue in the race and has no plans to end his campaign any time soon.
“This is the state he won last time, and he won it this time,” Gingrich said Sunday about Romney’s win in Nevada. “Our goal is to get to Super Tuesday where we’re in much more favorable territory.”
With almost a quarter of Nevada’s caucus voters being Mormon, religious affiliation may have played a role in helping Romney, the only Mormon nominee, win the state.
“He denies it, but in states with high Mormon populations, one would expect he’d do better,” Kenny said about Romney. “He’s still trying to make the case that he’s the candidate for a broad range of people, but since turnout was low, it’s hard to say.”
While the unemployment rate recently decreased to 8.3 percent, a figure which he described as “not great,” Kenny said nominees will have a harder time berating Obama about the state of unemployment.
“Eight percent is seen as the magic number, and many people say Obama won’t be re-elected into a second term if he can’t get below 8 percent. There’s no guarantee of that, though,” Kenny said.
Elementary education senior Jaclyn Tregle said she would pick Paul if she were to vote today.
“I like what he has to say,” she said. “I like his ideas, and I agree that smaller government would be more effective.”
Alice Inman, mass communication freshman, said Gingrich is the best candidate in the race.
“He’s experienced and gives good responses under pressure,” she said. “Romney looks like he’s doing good, but I don’t like him. He’s too much like Obama.”
Inman also said she has met many college students who support Paul.
“A lot of young people like him,” she said about Paul. “But I think it’s only because of his stance on the legalization of marijuana.”
Haleigh Robbins, English sophomore, said she’s disillusioned with the race.
“I’m not a big fan of Romney or Gingrich, and they’re the top contenders,” she said.
 
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Contact Kate Mabry at [email protected].