The Romney Surge

You have to be impressed by Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts governor has gone from nowhere to leading in Iowa and New Hampshire.

A new national poll shows him pulling into second place behind Rudy Giuliani and ahead of John McCain. He's been on the cover of Time. He led the first quarter fundraising by a mile and may win again when the second quarter results are announced.

Why the bounce? Part of it is the weakness of McCain who is having trouble getting traction. Some of it is owing to the second-tier candidates going nowhere. But a lot of it is about Romney himself.

The chattering classes are put off by his flip flops on abortion and gay rights. But Republican voters don't seem to care. Indeed, he seems to have insinuated himself into the sweet spot of GOP primary voters--conservative enough to be the considered the leading conservative in the race but not so conservative that he seems unelectable.

That rightfully infuriates McCain supporters. The Arizona senator has always been pro life and pro gun. But consistency only goes so far. Romney's managed to make himself a plausible conservative with a compelling story -- blue-state support, a business background and the sheer looks of a president.

He could fade and Giuliani is still defying the physics of GOP primaries, seems way out in the lead. McCain can come back, too. But Romney has made himself the one to watch.