Analysis: Romney Must Ease Independents' Concerns Mitt Romney's uninspiring showing in Super Tuesday's primaries nonetheless moves him closer to the Republican presidential nomination. But a string of events and voter data underscore his challenge in winning independent voters turned off by the long, divisive primary. Romney won a tight race against Rick Santorum in Ohio, where he heavily outspent his main rival, and posted victories in Massachusetts, Virginia, Vermont and Idaho. Tuesday's mixed results will not change GOP operatives' conviction that Romney is the likeliest nominee. He still has the most delegates, money, organization and experience. His opposition remains divided among three rivals. "I'm going to get this nomination," Romney told supporters before Ohio's results were known. Santorum, Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich show no signs of dropping out, however. Santorum won Tennessee, Oklahoma and North Dakota and Gingrich easily won Georgia. The results will give them and Paul enough encouragement to keep running for weeks, if not months. As long as the contest continues, Romney must cater to the staunchly conservative voters who dominate Republican primaries and caucuses. And that's a problem for the former Massachusetts governor. Heavy attention to the social issues that excite many conservatives is often distasteful to independents and centrists. They are the crucial voters who will decide whether President Barack Obama gets a second term in November. The past week has been especially worrisome to GOP insiders. National debate focused on Republicans' challenges to birth control, Rush Limbaugh's verbal attack on a female law student, and what some Democrats call a GOP "war on women." Romney tried to stay above the fuss. But his tardy and wan critique of Limbaugh's crass remarks didn't quiet his detractors, to the delight of Democratic activists. Many Republican campaign veterans shrug off polls that show a dearth of GOP enthusiasm for Romney. Conservatives will rally behind the eventual nominee this fall because ousting Obama is their top goal, these strategists say. But Romney's drop in esteem among independents is "the thing that's going to take some time to fix," said Terry Nelson, who was political director for the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign. A recent Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll suggested the hard-fought Republican contest is having a corrosive effect on many Americans, including independents. Forty percent of adults said the Republican primary has given them a less favorable impression of the party. Six in 10 independents used negative terms when asked to describe the party's nominating process. The same poll found Obama's approval rating at 50 percent, his highest level in 10 months, as more people expressed confidence in the economy. Such findings may help explain the bounce in Obama's step Tuesday as he faced reporters at the White House. The president poked gentle fun at the Republicans' contest before turning serious, and scolding. While the GOP candidates are "popping off" about a possible war with Iran, Obama said, he is the one who absorbs the costs of troops wounded or killed in battle. "Those folks don't have a lot of responsibilities," Obama said dismissively. Romney benefits from Republican voters who are tired of the intra-party squabbling and who see him as having the best chance to beat Obama.