What Floridians are learning about Newt (and what we're all learning about the GOP presidential race)

By Michael J.W. Stickings 

Via twitter: 

Top 4 Google searches in FL for Newt? "Callista", "Newt ethics violations", "Newt wives", Newt scandals". Ouch. (link)

-- Chris Cillizza (@TheFix)

What can we learn from this? 

1) Romney's merciless anti-Newt ad blitz has worked remarkably well. 

2) Money is power. Romney has tons of it and has outspent Newt by miles and miles. 

3) Newt is still Newt. He can say he's changed, but his ugly past will always haunt him. 

4) For those voters who don't know anything about that past, who have forgotten, or would prefer not to be reminded, Romney has been more than happy to be Newt's character reference. 

5) The Internet is a powerful source of information, misinformation, and disinformation.

And more generally: 

6) Newt's in big trouble in Florida. Romney will likely crush him by 12-13 points. Maybe more like 15. 

7) The polls close tonight at 7 pm, with some counties in central time. That means all voting will be done by 8 pm eastern time. The over/under on the networks calling it for Romney should be 8:01 and 30 seconds. I'll take the under (earlier). No need to drag this out. 

8) The race won't be over, but it's almost there. Newt could do well in the upcoming caucuses, but they're in the Mitt-friendly states of Nevada and Maine. And he needs Santorum to get out, but that seems unlikely, particularly with the Missouri primary coming up next week. Newt's not on the ballot there. 

9) In case you weren't clear, it's (mostly) the money, stupid. Money, in short, wins. (Sorry, Mr. Beane, but it's true.)

And so... 

10) Republicans may not be enamored with Romney, and he may be a privileged rich douchebag with a plutocratic sense of entitlement and insufficiently right-wing views who will do and say anything for votes, but it looks like they're stuck with him.

Good times.