Arguably, Fred and Duncan are the only two "real" candidates. Followed distantly by Mike and Ron, each of whom have serious flaws IMO, who are as much again ahead of tthe Rudy McRomney troika.
Note: this scale also follows who is best on RKBA issues. Amazing what holding firm to a Founding Principle can do in regards to other areas a potential POTUS must face. This is why many of us "one issue voters" often use the Second Amendment as an "x-ray" issue to examine a candidate. Anyone not upholding Individual RKBA is automatically discarded as not having a clue as to the nature of Individual Rights, or the rest of the Constitution for that matter.
Excellent point, and it corroborates your point about the fatal stupidity of "personality" politics.
My mother, rest her soul, imbibed somewhere the idea that one voted the man, not the issues. I saw her point and I also saw that it was fatally flawed, inasmuch as the man hasn't been born, who doesn't have feet of clay. Hell, we're all made 100% of clay. Some of it's just a little stiffer than other bits.