Politics 2012: Romney seeks win from a former neighbor

Republican primary voters in Vermont, with its 17 delegates, are expected to go for Mitt Romney in a big way Tuesday.

Pundits told The Washington Post they didn't think Ron Paul, Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich would mount much of a challenge to the former Massachusetts governor in what is considered his backyard.

Indeed, a recent Castleton Polling Institute poll indicated Romney led Santorum 34 percent to 27 percent in Vermont.

Rich Clark, director of the polling institute, told Vermont Public Radio that says Santorum may enjoy support among those who identify themselves as very conservative but Romney "gets a lot of support from people who are middle of the road and from independents, which we have in abundance in Vermont."

The Castleton poll also indicated Vermont voters favor President Barack Obama in the presidential race, VPR said, with Obama ahead of all Republican hopefuls in head-to-head contests by a minimum of 26 percentage points.

Despite the lack of candidate appearances in the state, party leaders are working to turn out voters on Super Tuesday, the Burlington Free Press reported.

"I'm not sure the turnout will be as high as 2008, since there are no Democrats," Bertrand said, when there were five Republicans and four Democrats on the ballot, and the Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton battle on the Democratic side sparked attention.

Bertrand said he thinks the Republican candidates are strong and any one of them could best President Obama in November.

"Right now, we're looking at 8 percent unemployment, high gas prices -- it's a perfect storm for an incumbent," he said.

Even though Romney is expected to win, Vermont Republican Party chairman Jack Lindley said the Super Tuesday landscape is less clear.

"It's a muddle," Lindley told CNN. "Mitt Romney will probably pick up the most delegates on Super Tuesday and then it goes on, state by state, drip by drip. It's like water torture."