Mitt Romney leads...in terms of delegates

In recent weeks, Mitt Romney, the front-runner in Illinois, has been doing everything he can to garner support from the Republican Party establishment. The former Massachusetts state governor is also seeking to win the Illinois primary to solidify, he says, "the inevitability of his nomination."

According to Dan Curry, a Chicago strategist, if Romney wins decisively in urban areas of Illinois, it will be easier to convince undecided voters that he is capable of replacing Barack Obama.

The figure to reach

To secure the Republican Party's nomination, the number of delegates needed is 1,144. Currently, Mitt Romney leads with 518 delegates, followed by Rick Santorum with 239, Newt Gingrich with 139, and Ron Paul with 69 delegates. "Some 54 delegates will be at stake in the election," CNN noted this week.

Regardless of the outcome of the vote in Illinois, it is already clear that the Republican campaign will be a long one before reaching the required number of votes of at least 1,144 delegates to present themselves at the national convention to be held in Tampa at the end of August.

The internal "fighting" that is still shaking the Republican camp only serves one person: Barack Obama, the outgoing president, who is rising in the polls.