Gingrich beating Romney in South Carolina is actually a good thing for Ron Paul. The delegates are getting all split up and it's going to be very difficult for Romney, or anyone to get enough, which could result in a brokered convention. Santorum will be dropping out soon as he has no money or organization to continue much further and isn't even on the ballot in 4 states. Gingrich, who is also missing from the ballot in 2 states, is going to split votes with Romney and take delegates away from him as Paul continues to pick them up little by little.
This race is a marathon, not a sprint. The campaign has a plan. They have money, organization, and grassroots support in many upcoming states like Nevada, Missouri, Maine, Minnesota, Louisiana, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, etc. They never expected to do all that well in South Carolina or Florida, so this doesn't hurt his campaign much at all. He will be in the race all the way to the convention and possibly steal the nomination.
The delegates are getting all split up and it's going to be very difficult for Romney, or anyone to get enough, which could result in a brokered convention
A brokered convention is an event that most of us haven't witnessed in our lifetimes. The last time than the Pub's went that way was in 1952, the Dems in 1948. FDR came out of a brokered convention in 1932. Our current primary system is not conducive to creating such a result.
However, the Republican establishment will bust a nut to ensure that Ron Paul will not get the nomination. Of all the "top tier" candidates in the field only Dr. Paul and Romney have the juice to take it all the way to the end. Santorum will run out of steam soon, but Gingrich has unexpectedly began to poll well. If there is a three-way split, you could see the establishment types pull a rabbit out of their hat at the convention, like (God forbid) Jeb Bush.
The Republicans are in a quandary, they do not have a viable, in-man candidate. Ron Paul in a non-corporate, Smedly Butler with an organization of devoted people behind him. The meeting of these unlike forces will be contentious. MSM is schizophrenic over him. Chuck Todd won't even mention or hear him mentioned. Judge Napolitano is a follower. Expect more voting shenanigans all the time. Their time is running out