Mitt says he'll win in Nevada

LAS VEGAS — Following his big win in Michigan, Mitt Romney sounded newly confident on the campaign trail here Thursday.

He declared he not only expects to win Nevada's GOP presidential caucus Saturday, but he'll also do better than expected in South Carolina's primary being held the same day.

Romney cut short his time in South Carolina to come to Nevada, where the Democratic candidates are making national headlines while the Republican caucus has attracted little interest from candidates or voters.

Most of his rivals stayed behind to battle for the first Southern state to vote in the 2008 race for the White House, raising questions about how significant a Nevada win would be. Besides Romney, only Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, a former Libertarian candidate for president, seems to be taking the state seriously.

"It shouldn't be a mystery," Romney told reporters during a news conference held at an upscale steak house filled with dinner customers. He said even though he's campaigned hard in South Carolina, it came down to the bottom line — Nevada offers a better shot at more delegates.

"My understanding of the presidential process is that you win the nomination if you get the most delegates. And so I'm going after delegates," he said, noting Nevada has 34 Republican delegates at stake compared to 24 in South Carolina. "I want the nomination. I'm not just looking for a gold star on my forehead."

Romney had to cancel his final event in South Carolina earlier Thursday because of a snowstorm. He is scheduled to campaign in Nevada through Saturday morning, including stops in Reno and Elko today. Afterward, he'll head south — but to Florida, not South Carolina. Florida is next on the election calendar, with a primary on Jan. 29.

Still, Romney wasn't ready to concede South Carolina yet. "I think a lot of folks might have expected I might not have much of a shot there. But coming off a strong win in Michigan, I think I can surprise folks in South Carolina. I sure hope so," he said.

Romney said Arizona Sen. John McCain has a strong lead but suggested second place might be up for grabs. An average of the latest major polls compiled by RealClearPolitics.com, however, shows Romney trailing both McCain and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Southern Baptist minister.