CBO says Obama's budget would add $6.4 trillion to debt

"The president's budget would add $6.4 trillion in deficits between 2013 and 2022, the CBO said. Under the so-called alternative fiscal scenario, where Congress simply extends a number of favored policies, cumulative deficits would reach nearly $11 trillion. The president's proposals would bring debt held by the public to 76% of GDP at the end of the period measured, up from 68% last year." - CNN

Romney easily wins Puerto Rico primary

"With about 83% of total ballots accounted for early Monday in Puerto Rico, Romney had garnered more than 98,000 votes -- or 83% of the total... Rick Santorum was a distant second, at 8% with slightly more than 9,500 votes. The other two candidates, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Rep. Ron Paul, were barely registered in the race with 2,431 votes, or 2% of the vote, and 1,452 votes, or 1%, respectively." - CNN

• Romney pandered to win in Puerto Rico - Weekly Standard

Romney sees PR win as sign of ability to win Latinos

"Mr. Romney, making his pitch to Illinois voters ahead of Tuesday’s primary,  highlighted his his victory Sunday  in Puerto Rico as an indication that the Republican Party can pick up Latino votes... “Those people who don’t think that Latinos will vote for a Republican need to take a look in Puerto Rico,” Mr. Romney said" - WSJ

Final PPP Illinois poll: Romney 45%, Santorum 30%, Gingrich 12%, Paul 10% - PPP

Campaigning in Illinois, Romney calls himself an "economic heavyweight"

"Repeatedly referring to himself as "an economic heavyweight," Romney said his rivals – including Obama as well as fellow Republican contender Rick Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator – just couldn't stack up. "Sen. Santorum has the same economic lightweight background that the president has," Romney said, painting himself as the best candidate to take on Obama. "We've got to get an economic heavyweight to replace the economic lightweight."" - CNN

• Romney appeals to women on campaign trail in Illinois - Washington Post

A look ahead: Santorum is in poll lead in Missouri and Louisiana - Fox News

Catholics are supporting Romney over Santorum

"Catholics in the exit polls tend to look more like the typical Romney Republican. Catholics are less deeply conservative and less likely to back the Tea Party movement. They have more formal education than non-Catholics and higher incomes, with 74 percent reporting annual household incomes over $50,000, compared with 67 percent of non-Catholics. Catholics are also less likely than other Christians to hesitate over Romney's Mormonism." - AP

Doyle McManus: Mitt Romney proves the GOP "Massachusetts rule" - LA Times

If he leaves the race, Gingrich voters are evenly split between Romney and Santorum

"The poll finds 40% of Gingrich supporters name Romney as their second choice, and 39% say the same about Santorum. Ron Paul would pick up about 12% of Gingrich's voters if the former House speaker withdrew." - USA Today

Brokered convention could energize base, boost nominee, say some insiders - The Hill

What next for Ron Paul?

"[A]nalysts say Paul’s interests may stretch beyond 2012. Although he’s leaving Congress this year, he has built a libertarian movement that may soon be led by his son Rand, a freshman senator from Kentucky. “As for transferring the mantle, I think that only works when there’s a quality receiver,” said Cullen. “But Rand seems to be that. And, I think Rand is a better communicator and more politically savvy. Rand has potential to expand on his father’s base.”" - Houston Chronicle

Despite gaining Governors and state legislatures in 2010, Congressional districting is unlikely to make that much difference to Republicans in 2012

"When voters change their minds, redistricters can turn out to be too clever by half. Many districts designed to elect Republicans elected Democrats in 2006 and 2008. Many districts designed to elect Democrats elected Republicans in 2010. The less aggressive redistricting plans adopted this cycle show that even strong partisans have absorbed the lesson that if you create a bunch of 53 percent districts you can lose them when your side's support goes down by 4 or 5 percent." - Michael Barone

Sen. Dick Lugar leads conservative challenger by only 6% - National Journal

Bob Turner readies to take on Gillibrand, Republican Senate challengers - Daily Caller

Voters want the Supreme Court to invalidate at least part of Obamacare

"More than four in 10 — 42 percent — want the high court to throw out the entire law, 25 percent want to do away with the mandate alone and a similar proportion wants the justices to uphold the entire law. Just over half the public thinks the mandate is unconstitutional (51 percent), according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll released last week." - Washington Post

Administration pushes forward with abortion pill and contraception mandate

"On Friday afternoon, the Obama administration released an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to announce it was proceeding as planned with its new federal mandate that abortion pills, sterilization procedures, and contraception must be provided without co-pays under virtually all health care plans." - Weekly Standard

• Birth control controversies a fundraising boon for Democrats - Politico

SuperPACs level the playing field between challengers and incumbents - New York Times editorial

Obama campaign raises $45m in February - Politico

• DSCC raises over $5.31m in Feb - National Journal
• Obama’s high-dollar donations lagging - Washington Post

State governments lack transparency and accountability to citizens, and remain at high risk for corruption, according to a new study of all 50 statehouses - Fox News

And finally... Ron O'Paul

"I went to the St. Patrick's Day Parade in South Boston... This is the tenth time in the past eleven years I have attended the parade... Over those years, I have seen some strange things... Well, I can now add a contigent of Ron Paul supporters to the list. From my vantage point, they were greeted with indifference which pretty much sums up the state of Paul's campaign." - American Spectator

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