Last night’s Republican presidential debate in Mesa, Ariz., strengthened the heated nature of the race and leaves us with no clear frontrunner. While contentious and animated, the debate didn’t make it clear that any one man has a commanding lead for the nomination.
Right away, from the moment the candidates were asked to introduce themselves, we saw each of their new breeds of campaigning: Rick Santorum spoke like a hard-lipped, bold conservative leader, Newt Gingrich talked like the candidate with ideas and spunk and Ron Paul was Ron Paul. Mitt Romney, however, surprised with a very lighter, humbler, more approachable candidate. He went directly after Santorum after opening with a smile and joke. The format of the debate was also new and a little awkward: the men sat in chairs at center stage, which lent an air of more distinction and a forum-style debate instead of a combative, wrathful debate from behind podiums.
The first 10 minutes of the debate were devoted solely to a Romney-Santorum back-and-forth which saw each man hammer the other on the national debt, campaign rhetoric and positions on the issues. Representative Paul also hammered Santorum on his conservative credentials and the former Pennsylvania fired back directly, citing statistics that brought into question Paul’s voting records. Paul seemed to act as Romney’s wingman in the fight to crush Santorum, who is leading in polls and in many upcoming primary states.
Romney reinforced his conservative approach to governing, citing numerous aspects of his record as a Republican in a “moderately liberal” state, Massachusetts. It was shocking to see that none of the other men chose to challenge Romney on his Massachusetts healthcare bill dubbed “Romneycare.”
Later on the candidates discussed the 2008 auto bailouts, which, while controversial, saved the American auto industry. Romney vehemently opposed the 2008 bailouts and his famous lines are now re-surfacing. He towed the line in tonight’s debate on his positions, trying to tread lightly around this issue, which may dominate the upcoming primary contest in Michigan. In true Republican fashion, the candidates hammered the auto workers union and mismanagement.
We can’t draw any conclusions about the nomination until the upcoming primary contests in Arizona and Michigan. If Santorum does well or wins one, the race continues in this manner. If Romney wins one or both, the words “brokered convention” will be fluttering on the lips of the media, delirious and excited by the notion of an old-fashioned convention. While this is unlikely, it’s an interesting proposition. If Romney loses Michigan but wins Arizona, the headline will be that Santorum crushed him. If Santorum wins Arizona and loses Michigan, the headline will say that he’s still “in it to win it.” Either way, we won’t know for a while yet, and tonight’s debate simply drives in that uncertainty.
