Mitt Romney is back in the US presidential race after winning the Republican primary in Michigan. It’s a much-needed victory for Romney, who finished second in the first two states, Iowa and New Hampshire.

He ploughed money into the Michigan campaign, much more than his rivals, and used his close personal ties with the state to his advantage. Romney’s father was a three-term Michigan governor.

The state is the cradle of the US’ car-making industry and has been hit hard by the economic downturn. It’s unemployment rate is the highest in the country. Romney promised workers that he’d use his business experience to bring the jobs back.

He, McCain and Mike Huckabee now have a state each going into the next votes in Nevada and South Carolina on Saturday.

The momentum is now with the former Massachusetts governor, and his supporters.

He told his supporters: “America understands that Washington has promised they’d secure our borders. But they haven’t. Washington told us they’d live by high ethical standards. But they haven’t. Washington told us that they’d fix social security. But they haven’t…Who’s going to get the job done? We are.”

Other Republican candidates, such as Fred Thomson and Rudy Giuliani, are yet to enter the race in earnest.

Their campaigns will have fresh legs, while those already involved risk becoming battle-weary.

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