"A brokered convention is the most favorable situation for Ron winning the nomination"

The Texan’s team says the party may go to its summer convention with no candidate holding the necessary delegates, creating a floor fight in which the party turns to him. “A brokered convention is the most favorable situation for Ron winning the nomination,” said Jesse Benton, chairman of the Paul campaign…

Mr. Paul’s unique profile within the GOP means it is hard to gauge what his presence or absence means to the race. Allies of Messrs. Gingrich and Santorum argue that the other should drop out to clear the field for a single person to mount a tougher conservative challenge to Mr. Romney. But it is less clear that either would stand to gain if Mr. Paul dropped out.

Were Mr. Paul to go home, his coalition wouldn’t necessarily flock to a Santorum candidacy, said Mike DeWine, Ohio attorney general and a Santorum supporter.

“It’s more likely that Rick gets supporters from Gingrich than he does from Ron Paul,” Mr. DeWine said.