Neither has the money to win the long battle.
It’s Romney. Thompson’s people will mostly go to Romney. The only thing that will stop that is McCain funding Thompson to stay in.
We are watching a master at work and don’t realize it. Mitt left SC and goes off to Nevada. Now Huck’s people are bad mouthing McCain and Fred. Fred has been knocking Huck. All the while, Mitt is basking in the glow of his win in Nevada. Fred is probably gone but Mitt won’t get the blame for knocking him off.
A really good general doesn’t run to fight everywhere, he fights when he has the advantage and lets his enemies fight each other.