Romney Is California Dreamin'

Mitt Romney is counting on California delegate math to keep his White House bid alive past Super Tuesday, the AP reports. Because California awards most of its 170 delegates on a district-by-district basis, a strong Romney showing could offset John McCain wins in some winner-take-all states. Wary of spreading himself too thin, Romney has apparently left most of the Northeast to his chief rival.

Romney isn't saying whether he'd stay in the race if McCain takes most of the delegates Tuesday. McCain has momentum on his side, but Romney has strong support among conservative voters, a huge personal fortune, and five sons—four of whom have fanned out across Maine, Montana, Idaho, and Alaska to back their dad's campaign. (More Mitt Romney stories.)