Romney Cutting TV Ads in South Carolina and Florida

In a clear-cut sign that Mitt Romney is putting all his hopes on the Michigan primary, his campaign has not renewed advertising in South Carolina and Florida which has primaries shortly after Michigan:

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has decided to pull his advertising from South Carolina and Florida, in a sign of trouble for a campaign that badly needs a win. Romney had been hoping to challenge John McCain and Mike Huckabee in South Carolina, and Rudy Giuliani in Florida, where the former New York mayor has been spending time and money.

"We feel the best strategy is to focus our paid messaging in Michigan," Romney spokesman Kevin Madden said Wednesday.

The decision comes on the heels of back-to-back second-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire for the former Massachusetts governor. Romney, a multimillionaire who had used some of his own cash, had invested heavily in both states, counting on the two to give him the momentum toward the nomination.

Romney had been spending about $280,000 per week in South Carolina and spent $3 million there last year, according to rival campaigns. In Florida, he had been spending $160,000 per week and had spent 2.5 million in 2007.

If Mitt loses in Michigan, he may not run any ads anywhere ever again. His campaign may be over.

This won't be good news either:

Michigan Poll: McCain 29, Romney 20, Huckabee 18

A second place in Michigan would be devastating to Romney's campaign. A third place, fatal.