STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — When Rick Santorum’s top aides began to gather here at Steubenville High School for election night, they assumed Santorum would finish second — a close second, they hoped — to Mitt Romney in the Ohio Republican primary. “If we can show here that we are very close in a state where we got outspent six to one, I think people have to ask the question, ‘What the heck is wrong with Mitt Romney?'” said top strategist John Brabender before Santorum’s supporters began to fill the room. How close would be very close? “Five points,” Brabender answered.

Then things began to change.  As the votes were counted, Santorum moved into a lead over Romney — first 5,000, then 10,000, then 15,000 votes.  Even though there was a lot of the state yet to report, some members of Team Santorum began to ask: What if he wins?  Santorum had already picked up victories in Tennessee, Oklahoma, and North Dakota.  A win in Ohio would be huge — and a huge setback for Romney.  As Santorum’s lead grew, campaign manager Mike Biundo said he had “a feeling” all day that Santorum might pull it out. Biundo admitted that his was a minority opinion among the staff.  But things were looking surprisingly good.