Rick Santorum, famed detractor of evolutionary biology and gaff prone with bestial similes (Thus giving rise to his cryptic nickname, Man-on-dog Santorum) swept to victory last night in both the Republican MN and CO caucuses and the Missouri primary. The latter is non-binding, the actual number of delegates Santorum will receive from last night won’t be enough to put him in the lead for nominee. But because of last night’s victories Rick Santorum has now won more states than the purported front-runner, Mitt Romney.

(NYT) — But it was an open question whether the defeats were a momentary embarrassment or a prolonged setback for Mr. Romney. The triple result amounted to a stinging denial of Mr. Romney’s candidacy from three states where Republicanism is defined by the evangelicals and Tea Party adherents he has struggled to court this year.

I now insert the seemingly obligatory qualifier that Mittens will probably win the nom and face off against Obama in 2012. And that’s probably true. Make no mistake, the same qualities hampering Romney now will be big plusses in a general. Romney is absolutely electable, we progressives know this, so the idea of Santorum or Gingrich, who are both far less electable, is seductive. That seductive idea is also highly unlikely. By the time the general rolls around next Fall, Santorum’s sweep will probably be as high on the media and public radar as Anthony Weiner’s sex tweets or BP’s oil spill are right now, and Barack Obama’s likeness will be starring in ad after ad as the greatest villain ever conceived.