[BarnacleCenturion]

“Both Newt and Rick need to stay in the race”

If that happens it’s unlikely that either one of them will win any of the winner-take-all states you listed.

Your strategy can prolong the race but will not change the final outcome. The only way to change the final outcome is if the losing candidates begin to drop out.

Just looking at your scenario, if Romney takes the 8 winner-take-all states and wins only 30% of the vote in the proportional races that already puts him over the top with 1174 delegates.

[SoConPubbie]

Just looking at your scenario, if Romney takes the 8 winner-take-all states and wins only 30% of the vote in the proportional races that already puts him over the top with 1174 delegates

Actually, no.

Total delegates in winner-take-all states: 219
Romney's current Delegate count: 475-496
Total possible if Romney wins all WTA Primaries: 715
Remaining Primary Delegate count: 1061
Delegates needed by Romney to Win: 1144-715 = 429

Percentage of remaining Delegates Romney must win to win nomination without going to a Convention: 429/1061 = 40%

That number will change dynamically, and not for the good of Romney, as the false mantra of FoxNews, the GOP-E, and the MSM about the inevitability and electability of Romney keeps sinking in with the base.