Free Republic

DRUDGE REPORTThe Reagan DerbyWell, with 47,617 individual Votes recorded as of 12:55AM EST on 5/4/07, The Drudge Report has provided perhaps the most sweeping and comprehensive initial survey of viewer reaction to the first GOP Primary Debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.The Results thus far: {{{{DRUDGE POLL}}}} WHO WON THE REAGAN DERBY? Mitt Romney -- 35%Rudy Giuliani -- 21%RON PAUL -- 16%Tommy Thompson -- 7%John McCain -- 6%Tom Tancredo -- 5%Mike Huckabee -- 4%Duncan Hunter -- 3%Sam Brownback -- 2%Jim Gilmore -- 2% With an optimistic, confident demeaner and a polished presentation, Mitt Romney decidedly overshadowed the erstwhile Front-Runner,...

Well, my first thought is just how much more substantive that debate was than the Democratic debate, in terms of both specificity and grappling with deep, philosophical questions. But, now, to name the winners and losers. Off the bat, let me stipulate that I don't consider any of the seven dwarves to necessitate much analysis. Ron Paul is a pure libertarian, so I always enjoy hearing from him. But I'll stick mostly here to the Big Three. Winner: Mitt Romney. Loser, by a mile: Rudy Giuliani. Treading water: John McCain.Mr. Romney: If anyone stood out from the other candidates, in...