In Romney's Massachusetts, rivals eye second place As former governor Mitt Romney basks in a home advantage in Massachusetts the real race is on for second place in Tuesday's Republican primary to pick a White House candidate. Romney's overwhelming dominance here is reflected in the absence of any appearances by his rivals or TV and radio ads -- a notable difference from the television ad wars seen in other competitive states. Massachusetts is one of 10 states voting next week on "Super Tuesday" for their Republican nominee to challenge Democrat President Barack Obama in the November presidential elections. A mid-February poll found 64 percent of likely Republican voters here support Romney -- leaving his rivals badly trailing. Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum won just 16 percent of backing, Texas congressman Ron Paul seven percent, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich six percent. Santorum volunteers say they have been trying to build support here by waving signs on street corners and using Twitter, Facebook and other social media tools. The hope is that even a second place would give the devout Catholic a few delegates here in Massachusetts as the candidates all search for the magic 1,144 delegates needed to secure the Republican crown at a summer convention. But Matt Robinson, Paul's Massachusetts director, hopes Santorum's losses to Romney in Michigan and Arizona primaries this week will prompt local Republicans seeking a Romney alternative to turn to Paul. Santorum was enjoying a bit of a bump from his (earlier primary) wins. Now with him not doing as great people may not be as drawn to him and give Ron Paul a second look," Robinson said. Romney, whose one gubernatorial term here spanned from 2003 to 2007, closed a huge budget deficit without broad-based tax increases and secured a pioneering health care overhaul that, while hurting him with Republicans nationally, is generally popular in Massachusetts. When Romney left office, many voters were upset that he'd spent so much time out of state -- 212 days in his final year, the Boston Globe reported -- to boost his national profile to run for president. But he's grabbed the lion's share of endorsements by the state's Republican party leaders. "Mitt Romney hasn't excited anybody here, but there is nowhere else to go," said Maurice Cunningham, a Massachusetts politics expert at University of Massachusetts Boston. In the 2008 presidential race, Romney won his home state, but faced a strong challenge by maverick John McCain, who ultimately won the Republican presidential nomination. Romney got 51 percent of the vote in the Massachusetts primary, while McCain attracted 41 percent. But this time, Romney closest two rivals -- social conservative Santorum and strict constitutionalist Paul -- haven't easily won a following in this New England state, one of the least religious in the United States and where Republicans tend to be moderate. "John McCain was a pretty attractive candidate four years ago," Cunningham said. There isn't a John McCain in the race. Mitt Romney is the default candidate this year, even in his home state. Of the state's 41 delegates, three are "super delegates," who are Romney supporters. Eleven others are "at-large" delegates elected after the primary and who traditionally flock to their state's primary winner. That leaves 27 to be apportioned based on the results, with a candidate needing to win at least 15 percent of the vote to grab some delegates. Rob Gray, a longtime Republican consultant, thinks Santorum has a shot at breaking the 15 percent threshold and capturing a few delegates. But despite poll results so far, Andrew Smith, the director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, believes Paul could pull off a second place finish. "If anybody gets to the 15 percent, I would say it'd be Ron Paul because there is more of a libertarian streak (in Massachusetts) than a social conservative streak," Smith said.