That’s true. Newt’s calculation, and we’ll see in next week whether it works or not, is that he would build momentum going into good states for him while Santorum would lose momentum - going into good states for Newt - and Newt would pass him as the alternative to Mitt again for Super Tuesday.
Newt had a hunch Santorum was sinking late in Michigan and that’s what he meant when he said the “race would clarify” after Michigan.
Now, will that theory work well enough? I don’t know. But it certainly looks like Santorum’s momentum is downward at this point and with Newt’s focus on energy, his should be upward.
I think Romney is about to hit a brick wall. The “vote for me because I’m winning” and “vote for me because I’m inevitable” arguments are pathetic in general; but even more so given his performance in the polls up to this point.