At this stage of the game, one thing is certain... nothing is certain.
If Cain falters, Newt may outflank Romney. Newt had high negatives in the late 1990s. I did not believe that he ever would have a chance for the Republican nomination. He has been somewhat flaky but I will strongly support him if he is the nominee. The conservative Republican establishment is still dismissing Cain but Cain has a strong chance for the nomination if he can deliver. At this point, no candidate has strongly separated himself from the field so Gringrich is a contender.