With Christie out, Republicans focus on Romney, Perry

Washington Post viaTwinCities.com-PioneerPress ^ | 10-4-2011 | Dan Balz

[smoothsailing]

With Christie out, Republicans focus on Romney, Perry

By Dan Balz

Washington Post

Updated: 10/04/2011 10:22:06 PM CDT

With the decision by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to forgo a run for the Republican presidential nomination, two questions hold the key to the future of the GOP race: can Mitt Romney expand his support within the party, and can Rick Perry bounce back?

Christie's announcement Tuesday that he would not join the race, while not unexpected, probably ended a long period in which many Republicans spent as much time dreaming about a candidate who wasn't in the race as focusing on those who were. Only former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin remains as a possible late entry, and both time and interest in her candidacy are quickly running out.

"The campaign just got a whole lot more real," said Todd Harris, a Republican strategist. "No more hypotheticals about this or that person swooping in to save the day. The field is set, and it's not going to change. The race has been frozen in place while everyone waited to see what Christie was going to do. Now we know." ...

[buccaneer81]

Cain is on a book tour.

Also known as a very effective way of campaigning.

[smoothsailing]

I agree with you. Romney and Perry have the strongest and most dynamic organizational and fundraising structures. Because of that, time is not their enemy as it is with the rest of the field.

Perry can recover and be the non-Romney by default as the rest of the field goes broke.

[Longbow1969]

They are scared to death of Herman Cain.

"They" are not terrible concerned about Herman Cain because they don't think he can raise the money needed compete. Everyone likes him, but if can't raise the millions of bucks Romney and Perry will have, he could easily fade. Also, electability will be a huge factor, and while the base really likes Cain a lot, I am not sure they will actually vote that way when it counts.

Assuming Perry doesn't flop yet again in his next debate, Perry and Romney will have vastly more money than the rest and allow them be far more competitive down the stretch.

And while I really, really don't think Palin is going to run, if Perry implodes at next weeks debate, she would have one last golden opportunity to jump in. She'd be funded, able to compete with Mitt for awhile on small donations alone, and least be able try to be the new anti-Romney.

[D-fendr]

time is not their enemy as it is with the rest of the field.… as the rest of the field goes broke.

Excellent point. For the rest of the field, a win (or these days, an 'unexpectedly strong second-place') in the early primaries is required to stay in. In the recent past, South Carolina has been the key for the remaining top tier.

With all the recent shuffling of primary dates, I'm really ignorant on whether that will be the case this year (dunno where Florida primary will land in terms of importance).

Thanks much for your reply...

[political1]

Let them keep pushing Romney, and Perry. If Cain can sneak up by 3 points a month that is all he needs to win. 17 points now. November 2012 add 36 points to the 17. He will win the presidential race 53 to 47 over Obama. New Hampshire Cain 26%, Romney 24%, Perry 19%, Paul 10%, All the rest split the other 21 percent.

[VRWC For Truth]

Focus now on the LOSING RINOs. LMAO. Perry and Mittens are so phony.

[smoothsailing]

Perry and Mittens are so phony.

On Romney we agree! :)

[DaxtonBrown]

“No more hypotheticals about this or that person swooping in to save the day. The field is set, and it’s not going to change. The race has been frozen in place while everyone waited to see what Christie was going to do. Now we know.” ..

Apparently Sarah Palin was run over by a bus this week and I missed the news.

[smoothsailing]

Apparently Sarah Palin was run over by a bus this week and I missed the news.

LOL! Not run over by a bus, but they do claim her bus ran out of gas....

"Only former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin remains as a possible late entry, and both time and interest in her candidacy are quickly running out."

[Mozilla]

Perry is not the non Romney. Just a wanna be RINO.

[Hugin]

I’m on the Gingrich bandwagon! (this week)

Seriously though, nearly everybody says Newt is the smartest, the best debater, skewers the media, etc., BUT OF CORUSE HE CAN”T WIN. Wouldn’t it be bizarre if the rest impload, and he turned out to be everyones second choice?

[skinkinthegrass]

With Christie out, Republicans focus on Romney, Perry

there they go again, (OBlahblah's) Quisling Press....
trying to pick OUR Cantidate
OBlahblah (*BEGGING*): "Please give me another
Sinister Juan McCain...Pretty Please"

[D-fendr]

Thanks for your post. I'm only mildly embarrassed to say I'm also a fan of Newt.

Wouldn’t it be bizarre if the rest impload, and he turned out to be everyones second choice?

Stranger things have happened. After Cain, where does the not-Romney vote go? Back to Perry? Maybe if he has a decent debate in him. If not... ?

[gogogodzilla]

Perry’s done, dontcha know? Why are you so focused on a dead horse?

Think about that...

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

In the meantime, Conservatives focus on Sarah Palin.

[ThePatriotsFlag]

With Christie out, Republicans focus on Romney, Perry .... AND CAIN!!!!! They are hoping for a RINO so Obama can win, and if we get a RINO, he might ... I won’t vote for Romney.

[smoothsailing]

In the meantime, Conservatives focus on Sarah Palin.

Some do, and as long as that focus doesn't become tunnel vision, it's perfectly understandable.

There's much to like about a potential Palin candidacy, no matter how increasingly unlikely that possibility is.