Whether the candidates acknowledge it, the GOP presidential field is shrinking.
Establishment Republicans have locked in on Mitt Romney. And the media narrative after Rick Perry's implosion at Wednesday night's CNBC debate affirmed that Romney is the man.
The Left appears almost giddy at the prospect. And why not? Romney takes Obamacare off the table, and his chronic flip-flopping on issues ranging from corporate bailouts to global warming will provide ample ammunition for Obama & Co.
Conservatives should be wary of such a compromised candidate -- and a large majority of them are. The new website, NotMittRomney.com, is a symptom of that concern.
So, with just seven weeks to Iowa, who is the best alternative?
Herman Cain has enjoyed the most grass-roots support in the polls, but those numbers are eroding under the daily drumbeat of "scandal." Bogus or not, the toxic tales of impropriety have amplified latent doubts about Cain's credibility as a candidate.
Rick Perry has the most money, but there will be a run on the bank after his meltdown in Michigan. It was the most embarrassing debate performance since Ross Perot's running mate James Stockdale bleated, "Who am I? Why am I here?"
Newt Gingrich has been rising in the polls, but that does not appear sustainable. Praised of late as "the adult in the room," the Georgian's schtick now appears to be condescending.
What might have passed as candor sounded more like crankiness Wednesday -- which should remind people of Gingrich's own implosion as speaker of the House.
Ron Paul is a principled libertarian, and that's exactly his problem. His agenda is fundamentally at odds with the Grand Old Party.
Rick Santorum couldn't even hold onto his Senate seat in Pennsylvania.
And Jon Huntsman? Michael Moore calls him "the sanest guy in the field." Enough said.
That leaves Michele Bachmann as the heir to the conservative mantle and the only credible counterpoint to Romney's corporatism. As Cain and Perry supporters look for a new home, the Minnesota congresswoman is the only logical choice in the GOP lineup as currently constituted.
Founder of the Tea Party Caucus in the House, Bachmann's record aligns with fiscal conservatives. Her social conservatism is consistently "right" -- which is why the far left relentlessly demonizes her.
On Wednesday night, other candidates followed her lead on Dodd-Frank (she was the first to introduce repeal legislation); on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (which she aptly labeled the "epicenter of crony capitalism") and Obamacare (she was first with that repeal bill, too).
Bachmann stood out when she refused to take the bait of cutting payroll taxes. She saw that for what it is: an Obama-backed scheme that further undermines the Social Security trust fund.
The congresswoman also stands apart on illegal immigration, offering the only uncompromising program to secure the border and shut down public benefits to illegals already here. Every other GOP candidate trims on the issue, which exposes them as racial panderers or corporate cronies, or both.
My random sampling of Florida politicos wasn't so bullish for Bachmann.
Some believe Cain will survive. But they underestimate the power and tenacity of the media, which is just starting to unravel his story.
Others pointed back to Gingrich as the next best choice for conservatives. Yet his messy personal life -- currently overshadowed by the Cain soap opera -- remains the antithesis of social and fiscal conservatism. Tiffany's anyone?
Still others predicted Perry will rebound.
"He stumbled and we all gasp, but the average voter doesn't give a Texas rat's behind for stuff like that," said one longtime Republican operative.
Perhaps Perry can limit the damage if he bows out of future debates. But viral videos of him floundering on the stage at Oakland University will be forever haunting, or laughable.
By contrast, Bachmann turned in another solid performance Wednesday night. For example, she deftly connected national security and economic common sense at the CNBC forum by declaring:
"What we need to do is stop enriching China with our money. And we do that by stop borrowing from them by stop spending money that we don't have."
Yes, Bachmann is short on cash of her own, and the big-money Romney-ites would love to write her off. Yet three-quarters of Republican voters still want someone other than the former Massachusetts governor.
Bachmann is banking on Iowa. Unless Republicans have a better idea, it should be hers to win.
Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or (772) 801-5341.
