Winners and Losers Jan. 6: Romney Breaks His S.C. Ceiling

Today's results are all about poll position, as three new surveys are released looking at likely S.C. GOP Primary voters. It's good news for some and the nail in the coffin for others.

Winner: Several candidates had something to cheer about in today's polling results, but former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney has the best reason to celebrate: He was on top in each of them. Romney has been South Carolina Republicans' perpetual No. 2. At least for a short time, he's the top dog.

Huffington Post's Mark Blumenthal says Romney could wrap it up in S.C.: 

Romney now leads by wide margins in both New Hampshire and South Carolina. Two weeks is a very long time at this stage in the presidential nomination race, but if Romney sweeps both upcoming primaries, he faces a very easy path to the Republican nomination.

It wasn't a bad day for former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Penn.), who saw validation of his surge in the Palmetto State. And U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) moved to double-digits in South Carolina.

Loser: Texas Gov. Rick Perry will be back on the campaign trail Saturday, with two events in New Hampshire before heading to South Carolina on Sunday. But nothing but bad news will be here to greet him.

The same polls showing growth for Romney, Santorum and Paul, spell peril for Perry. Rassmusan and the CNN/Time poll had him down to 5 percent in the state. The American Research Group survey put him at just 2 percent.

The New York Times Nate Silver puts Perry's chances of winning South Carolina at zero.

What do you think? Who won Jan. 6 on the road to the S.C. Primary?