[SteveAustin]

I agree with your point on the market sharpening things. If Mitt comes out blazing this week, defending his record and money making ability, he can then position himself better for the fall general election.

On the other hand, if he stumbles like he did this past week, better that we discover that now.

Romney really hasn’t been tested over the past six months. He’s always benefited by seven or eight other people being in a foodfight while he sat back and looked Presidential. This campaign is finally now Mano v Mano with Newt versus Mitt.

Romney needs to somehow get that extra 30 percent of the GOP primary base that he has been completely unable to convert. I’m not sure he gets it.

I just hope the anti Newt crew doesn’t cry and then run a third party candidate. Newt hasn’t been my first choice by a longshot, but if he wins, we need to align behind him. Same with Romney. A third party run kills us.

[Question Liberal Authority]

I just hope the anti Newt crew doesn’t cry and then run a third party candidate.

The pro-Romney supporters are always expressing concern with down-ticket races. I could very easily see Newt coming up with some sort of Contract-With-America type agenda which nationalizes many of the Congressional and Senate races, and sweeps a number of Tea-Party like candidates into office. I could also see him resetting the national argument to one of Socialism vs Freedom and making the case for American Exceptionalism, even if Newt himself does not actually win the presidency.

I can't see Romney doing this as well. The Romney backers are convinced that Romney won't scare off the moderates and they'll win the down-ticket races by default. But I'm not sure it's literally true. If you look at the GOP candidates who lost in 2010, there's just as many "non-scary" ones as "scary".