Romney leaves Iowa with same problems he had in 2008

By Philip Rucker,
WashPost
Published: January 3 | Updated: Wednesday, January 4, 12:00 AM

DES MOINES — There was a dark side to Mitt Romney’s close finish in the Iowa caucuses.

After first approaching Iowa with reservation and then scrambling hard in the final weeks to win, he was on track to leave here with about the same share of votes he snagged four years ago in the Republican presidential caucuses.

“It’s been a great victory for us here,” Romney told supporters here, adding: “We’ve got some work ahead.”

But his Iowa showing — deadlocked late with former senator Rick Santorum (Pa.) — highlighted the big problems that still dog Romney: suspicions about his avowed conservatism, struggles to connect with voters and an inability to rally more Republicans around his candidacy.

(More here.)