Yesterday's other winners

Opinion Journal:

...

The candidates now head into Saturday's South Carolina primary for what can only be called a free-for-all. Rudy Giuliani is delighted, because the lack of a clear frontrunner means the race might still be jumbled on January 29 in Florida, where he has staked his claim.

Another winner yesterday was Fred Thompson, who is competitive in South Carolina and is running as the conservative who can unite the GOP's fractious wings. The former Tennessee Senator has laid out an impressive policy map, but he's suffered in early contests because his heart and energy didn't seem to be in the race. That has changed in recent weeks, especially with his pungent, quick-witted debate performances. If he can do better than Messrs. Romney and Huckabee among conservatives, he could surprise in the Palmetto State and give himself a genuine chance at the nomination.

The abiding lesson from the last two weeks is that GOP voters are still sifting the field, searching for their next leader. In their wisdom, the voters are looking for someone who can rise to the occasion.


I think this is closer to the mark than the other analysis I have seen. I doubt that South Carolina is going to change that dynamic very much, but Florida might because it has much more to offer in terms of delegates. Right now McCain leads, but Romney, Huckabee and Thompson are all showing strength and support in South Carolina. It may be Thompson's turn to win.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Should Republicans go ahead and add Supreme Court Justices to head off Democrats

Is the F-35 obsolete?

Apple's huge investment in US including Texas facility