If you’re interested, I’m live-blogging the results of the New Hampshire primary over at my place, looking at the results but also offering some broader commentary about the GOP race.

Quick comments:

It’s all about expectations, as you know, and about that much-overused word, “narrative.” And the problem for Romney tonight is that he has nothing to gain and much to lose. And if he underperforms, particularly with all the battering he’s been taking over his destructive work at Bain Capital, he could emerge even from a decisive victory as a still-very-weak frontrunner, even if his ultimate victory is all but assured given his money, his organization, and his support from Republican elites.

Romney currently has just 36 percent of the vote (with 27 percent of precincts reporting) in a state that is perfect for him: close to home, socially liberal/libertarian, economically conservative, where he’s been campaigning since before the ’08 primaries, where he has an extensive ground campaign and huge name recognition, where, as a clear frontrunner, he should be able to win over 40 percent easily, if not over 50 percent. Am I overstating the expectations? Look, even with 35 percent he’ll be able to declare a decisive victory and head on as the clear frontrunner to South Carolina. But I think we’re still seeing just how weak he is, not to mention just how weak and divided the opposition is. Put a credible conservative in here and you’d get a much closer race and anything but a decisive victory for Romney.

It will likely be Romney in the end, but only by default.