RomneyHuckabeePalinSarah Palin is able to win Iowa, defeating Huckabee narrowly after Romney decided to focus his resources on New Hampshire. South Carolina is once again bitterly contested, but Huckabee is able to pick up the state. Romney is able to win Nevada, with Palin taking second. The second cycle approaches, with Romney and Palin winning most of the states. Huckabee is badly hurt by the string of losses, but presses on. When the third cycle votes, it is split between Huckabee and Romney. Romney's clear competitiveness in all of the cycles has led him to be called the frontrunner. However, after Palin's crushing non-competitiveness in any of these states is proven, she drops out the night after. With the states left to vote being Northeastern, Midwestern, and Western, Romney is easily able to claim victory in most of the states. After the fourth cycle, Mike Huckabee drops out, essentially handing the nomination to Romney.
I am presuming that the Ohio plan goes into effect, and that the green states highlighted vote third, the purple states fourth, and the gold states fifth.