Boston, MA–

Fox News projects that Romney wins Minnesota and Colorado. After campaigning in Minnesota 3 days ago and getting enthusiastic crowds both are  important wins for the campaign.

Boston, MA–

Fox News projects a win in Montana for Governor Romney.

Boston, MA–

Fox News projects Romney will win North Dakota. His wife, Ann campaigned for him there 3 days ago.

Boston, MA–

Romney has won his home state of Massachusetts and Utah which was always a guarantee with its large Mormon population. With all the McCain momentum in the air, the Romney camp is starting to spin saying they are still confident about the western states that they have been focusing on before tonight: Montana, Colorado, Alaska, and their key to victory, California. They say it will be a “long night” and the East coast results and media coverage that follow obviously favor McCain. But, they insist that tomorrow the country will wake up to a “new map” and that things will look very different.

They are pushing that no matter what happens tonight Romney will continue on. They will use tomorrow for planning and Romney will travel to DC to address the Conservative Political Action Committee on Thursday which they say thay will be “pivotal” as conservatives continue to “coalesce around Romney.” They also point to the “fluidity of the race” as favorable to Romney.

Romney is set to address his supporters in just a few minutes.

Boston, MA—

Mitt and Ann Romney cast their votes today at Belmont Town Hall. Ann finished her ballot first while her husband seemed to labor over his a bit more. After they voted they got a sample ballot as a souvenir and Romney quipped, “That’s pretty fun. First time I’ve ever voter for myself for president.”

Media swarmed the Romneys as they left the town hall and ascended a small hill to talk to the press. He showed the ballot to the cameras and added that his wife, son, and daughter-in law are all on the ballot as members of the Republican town committee, “So we got to vote for a number of family members.”

Romney reflected on the experience of voting for himself and called it, “humbling”

“The opportunity to vote for yourself for president is really something I had never expected to be able to do,” Romney told reporters, “It was a great honor and very humbling to think that we’ve come to a point in life where our friends have rallied around us in such an extraordinary way that we have prospects of becoming the nominee of our party to be the President of the United States. We have a lot of work to do before that happens, of course.”

The former Massachusetts governor said it was good to be home for the first time since Christmas.

“It’s nice to get back and to scare the rodents out, and—not exactly—and open the mail. We have a lot of mail. And you know, a hot bath, what do you think Ann?”

Mrs. Romney replied, “Sounds good.”

They didn’t take any questions from reporters even though many tried to ask about his loss in West Virginia to Mike Huckabee.

Boston, MA—

Mike Huckabee has won the West Virginia Delegate Convention and has been awarded its 18 delegates—the first win out of Super Tuesday. This is a disappointing loss for Mitt Romney, who spoke at the convention this morning, and they are alleging that the McCain campaign cut a “Washington backroom deal.”

Fox News’ Jake Gibson reported that McCain delegates at the convention were “instructed by the campaign to throw their support to Mike Huckabee.”

Huckabee won in the second round of voting. Romney won the first round but did not secure the 50 percent needed to win on the first ballot. He got 41% and Huckabee received 33%. Gibson reported that the calls were made between the first and second rounds.

The Romney campaign responded sending out a statement from campaign manager, Beth Myers:

“Unfortunately, this is what Senator McCain’s inside Washington ways look like: he cut a backroom deal with the tax-and-spend candidate he thought could best stop Governor Romney’s campaign of conservative change.”

“Governor Romney had enough respect for the Republican voters of West Virginia to make an appeal to them about the future of the party based on issues.  This is why he led on today’s first ballot.  Sadly, Senator McCain cut a Washington backroom deal in a way that once again underscores his legacy of working against Republicans who are interested in championing conservative policies and rebuilding the party.”

The Romney campaign had an operation in West Virginia since July of 2006. Romney senior adviser in the state, John McCutcheon described the other campaign operations as “skeletal.” The camp had phone banks, radio ads, and events in 55 counties. Romney also had the most committed delegates going into today–280 out of 1,207, most of which are uncommitted—all underscoring what a searing loss it is for the campaign

Boston, MA—

Mitt Romney tried to call Senator Bob Dole this morning before the campaign plane took off from Charleston, West Virginia to Bedford, Massachusetts. He left a message with the former presidential candidate’s secretary. It is unclear if Romney wanted to apologize to Dole or just explain comments he made this morning on FOX & Friends.

Click here to watch the full interview:

Dole sent a letter to Rush Limbaugh telling him to lay off John McCain and that the Arizona senator is a conservative. Limbaugh has been attacking McCain and it has escalated in recent days. Romney was asked about it this morning:

“It’s probably the last person I would have wanted write a letter for me. I think there’s a lot of folks who tend to think that maybe John McCain’s race is a bit like Bob Dole’s race. That it’s the guy who’s next in line, the inevitable choice.”

The McCain camp was quick to respond–McCain called the comments “disgraceful” and called on the former Massachusetts governor to apologize.

After speaking at the West Virginia Delegate Convention, Romney tried to clarify his remarks, calling Dole an “American hero, a war hero, a fine man and a great leader for our party.” He even commented that he thinks he contributed to Dole’s presidential campaign and if he didn’t then he should have. He tried to explain his comments:

“What I said was he’s not the person I would’ve wanted if I were John McCain to be writing a letter to Rush Limbaugh about this election process because Bob Dole reminds the American public that our selection at that time was seen by most as being one that went to the person who waited in line the longest, who deserved the nomination, who’d been in the Senate the longest, and that I don’t believe will be a successful strategy in this process,” Romney told reporters.

“I don’t think that Senator McCain will be helped by a parallel to a campaign based on being in the Senate the longest, being the person who deserves it, being the frontrunner. Instead, I think we’re best to select the nominee who brings new vision, passion, energy, judgment and ideas to the White House.”

Belmont, MA—

The Romney campaign has broken down the Super Tuesday state map and they have a pretty good idea of the states they think they will do well in and others that are going to be highly competitive. A state like Utah with its high Mormon population is pretty much guaranteed for Romney. The former Massachusetts governor also expects to do well in his home state. The camp believes they have a good shot at caucus/convention states like Alaska, where Romney’s son Josh has campaigned for him, Colorado, North Dakota, and Montana. Georgia, Missouri, and Tennessee will be more competitive, but the real key for the presidential hopeful is California. Winning the state or even racking up a good amount of delegates will give the campaign steam to keep going. Romney says last night’s rally put an exclamation point on his support in the Golden State and he believes he will do well there pushing that, “something is happening in California.”

Charleston, WV–

The goal of the Romney all-nighter was to hit a rally in Long Beach, CA. Over a 1,000 supporters gave him a warm welcome and he said several times to the cheering crowd that something was happening in California.

“I think you’re gonna see potentially a little, a little surprise here in California. I’m gonna do a little better than some folks had thought I’d do. I sure anticipate being able to do pretty well here in California.”

He explains why he thinks the tide is turning toward his candidacy, even at this very late stage–pressing that conservatives are coalescing around him:

“What we are hearing from our leaders here is the folks who are undecided,” Romney told reporters, “folks that are in other camps are now supporting me and I can contribute that in part to the campaign and in part to the message and in part to the debate and in part to the voices of conservatives that have spoken out across the country.”

After the rally the staff and reporters wearily got back on the plane. We all got our own row to stretch out and try to sleep for a few hours before the biggest day yet. The Romney staff even got us pillows and blankets to try to appease the grumpiness they knew was coming.

I got to sit closer to the front than I usually do–embeds are usually in the back with the crews–but because we are all got our own rows I moved up front right behind the Romney staff. Governor Romney teased me saying, “Wait, wait what are you doing up here, Shush?” He again poked fun at my inability to project my voice at his press conferences, how he has to struggle to hear me, and that I should get a megaphone. It was a quick, funny exchange before we all tried to get some sleep. Romney went to the front of the plane and stretched out–sticking his legs out in the aisle.

Long Beach, CA—

The third stop on the Mitt Romney cross-country push to Super Tuesday was a rally at an airport hanger in Oklahoma City, OK. It was a very quick three in one re-fueling, rally, and press conference stop on our way to California. The presidential hopeful spoke about the name of tomorrow’s game: delegates.

“For me the key is to pick up delegates tomorrow, pick up more delegates tomorrow. Get the support of the people across the country,” Romney told reporters, “We got more primaries coming down the road. We’re not going to be much more than halfway through as of Tuesday night. I want to keep battling and I believe that conservatives in this path that make up the bulk of our party they are going to rally to my campaign. By the time this is finished, I’m going to have enjoyed a great campaign against Senator McCain, but I’m going to beat him.”

We hopped back on the plane to wing our way to Long Beach, California. Romney came back to chat with the press—he told us he likes to sleep on the floor of planes and that he plans on doing it this evening. He added that he hadn’t done it recently.

“It’s been a while since I slept on the floor. Usually if I’m in trouble I sleep on the sofa. But the floor is — actually I haven’t been in trouble to sleep on the sofa, but sometimes in the middle of the night if I wake up and can’t sleep instead of bothering Ann by tossing and turning I sleep on the sofa.”

A reporter asked him what he’s going to think when he see his name on the ballot tomorrow when he goes home to Belmont, MA to vote. He answered that he had been talking to his wife, Ann about it. He added it is, “Something I would never imagine” to “even be considered as a candidate for President,” He added It is “very humbling.”

Another reporter noted to Romney that he has been coming back to talk to us on the plane more. He responded that he didn’t know why, but that things are getting looser as the campaign continues.

What was the presidential hopeful’s good-bye to the press as he walked back to his seat in the front, “Sweet dreams, guys.” No word if he is sleeping on the floor right now.