[Vigilanteman]

Like it or not, debate performance matters and it matters big time. There is a large demographic called the mushy middle who fancies themselves as the independent kingmakers in this country. A lot of them are barely smarter than dolts, but they vote in large numbers.

Perry not only shot himself in the foot with these people for his poor debate performance, he shot himself in the foot with conservatives for his stubborn defense of incentives for illegal aliens to stay in Texas and increase their footprint. That's a nonstarter for many conservatives just as much as Romney's stubborn defense of socialized medicine is a nonstarter.

All things considered, it might even be worse. Romney knows he has a problem with conservatives so might have to throw us an occasional bone. Perry thinks he can take us for granted so assumes we will put up with him on one issue such as open borders.

[KansasGirl]

[Perry not only shot himself in the foot with these people for his poor debate performance, he shot himself in the foot with conservatives for his stubborn defense of incentives for illegal aliens to stay in Texas and increase their footprint. That’s a non starter for many conservatives just as much as Romney’s stubborn defense of socialized medicine is a nonstarter.]

Of course, Romney as a liberal Governor of a northeastern state, has no record on immigration to defend unlike Perry who is Governor of a state that shares a 1200 mile border with Mexico.