While pundits and analysts keep touting first Huckabee, then McCain, Mitt Romney has slowing and quietly moved from a slow gait to a full-fledged run. He was written off after Iowa. He was further pushed back after New Hampshire. And yet here he is leading the pack in Florida in the latest Rasmussen poll. How"d that happen? The Las Vegas odds are changing!
Well, for starters, he won Wyoming. Then he won his dad"s state of Michigan. This weekend he trounced everyone in the Nevada caucus. So, who is it that stands at the top of the delegate count even after a 4th place finish in South Carolina? Mitt Romney.
Who is it that has the greatest financial resources to compete in Florida an Super Tuesday? Mitt Romney.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds Mitt Romney with a slight lead in Florida"s Republican Presidential Primary. John McCain and Rudy Giuliani are close behind in what may develop into a three-man race. It"s Romney at 25%, McCain at 20%, and Giuliani at 19%. Romney has picked up seven points over the past week while McCain and Giuliani each inched up a point.
So, is Fred fried? Is Guiliani done come Super Tuesday? Is McCain really a Republican? Have the evangelicals burned out over the Huck-a-wannabe effort?
As Rasmussen reports, Florida represents both a major challenge and a major opportunity for McCain. Both result from the fact that Independent voters are not allowed to participate in Florida"s Republican Primary. In McCain"s earlier victories, he has been competitive among Republican voters but won with the votes of Independents. If he is to win the GOP nomination, McCain must sooner or later show that he can win among Republicans. On the other hand, if McCain can win a Republican-only Primary in Florida, he will have a major advantage heading into Super Tuesday a week later.
Two weeks from now who will be the last one or two standing? And who will that person face in November? Obama, Hillary, and Bloomberg? Maybe two of those three?