In a few short weeks as a candidate, the folksy Texas governor has surged to the head of the pack seeking the 2012 Republican presidential nomination and the right to challenge President Barack Obama. The overall direction of the party is already clear: Republicans want to cut federal spending, repeal the national health care law and reduce taxes to create jobs. The question is which candidate has the best record signaling that he or she could do all that, and the best chance of defeating Obama. "The trick in presidential politics is exceeding expectations. Given his successful entry, expectations will...