CONCORD, N.H. — Romney is surging the past 36 hours, according to some polls, and The Atlantic’s Mark Ambinder. He reports 800 turning out in Bedford, after a long day of events.

The polls have Romney and McCain within the margin of error. I had a soda with a reporter from a conservative publication who told me McCain aides have grown nervous.

He also noted that if McCain loses, he’s out because New Hampshire was deemed his home turf. When he drops out, the entire Republican field is in complete chaos. If McCain wins, he’s probably the frontrunner, but it’s a tough road ahead.

If Romney loses, he probably hangs around.

Either way, there’s some chance Romney comes to Nevada. He needs wins, and he could get one in Nevada.

South Carolina is now going the way of Huckabee. Read this piece in Harper’s, which is about the vicious political culture there, and the money the frontrunners spent to win the state, which is usually a proving ground for Republican candidates. (The focus is Romney, but it’s really about South Carolina.)

Funny after all that, Huckabee, with no money and no backing, is cruising.

But a McCain adviser told me Sunday he expects the 2000 presidential candidate to go to South Carolina after a New Hampshire victory, because he’s got some scores to settle. Remember, it was in South Carolina in 2000 when despicable rumors were spread that McCain has an African-American illegitimate child.