Why Romney Has The Edge In Pennsylvania Primary

There's a great story in The Daily from Dan Hirshrschhorn that details the problems that Rick Santorum is facing in his home state of Pennsylvania as that state's April 24 primary nears.
The fact is that the Pennsylvania GOP presidential primary is a mere beauty contest. The winner of the popular vote in the primary isn't guaranteed a single delegate. Not one.
So even if Santorum wins the primary (and there's no assurance of that), the odds in Pennsylvania right now indicate that Romney will nonetheless pick up the lion's share of delegates. Why? Because the delegate slots in the state will most likely be filled by party professionals and insiders -- people who are leaning toward Romney.
Popular former Governor Tom Ridge has already endorse Romney. Former state GOP Chair Alan Novak is for Romney. Several PA. members of Congress have lined up behind Romney. And the list goes on.
Here's an excerpt from the Hirschhorn story:

Traditionally, state Republican leadership has exercised enormous sway in getting its own members and supporters elected to delegate slots.
Interviews with about two dozen Pennsylvania Republicans and a review of the delegate candidates brings Santorum’s challenge into focus.
The ranks of delegate hopefuls are littered with Republican state committee members, elected officials and others with close party ties, who will ultimately be more beholden to a state party leadership that, while officially neutral, is visibly leaning in Romney’s direction and increasingly vocal in its fear that Santorum could hurt the party in a general election — especially after witnessing his 18-point drubbing in 2006.
Romney, Ron Paul and even Newt Gingrich got some of their supporters on the ballot as delegate candidates. But Santorum’s campaign officials, who have struggled with ballot organization issues across the country, privately concede that they just didn’t have the time, nor resources, to organize their own supporters to run as delegates when the paperwork was due earlier this year.

Click here to read the whole story.