OK Mittens beat my man Ricky by 8 votes. I think this is a good result - hear me out.

[yellowcanine]

First of all Mitt has got to be just a little embarrassed. He knows now that the Christians really don't like him. If he is the nominee he will likely get their vote over Obama but there will be little enthusiasm. But best of all - Mitt had to go hard negative to smack Newt down in Iowa. Newt is now pissed and that is not good for Mitt's prospects in the general election. No matter what he says, Newt will now be willing to see 4 more years of Obama rather than see Mitt win.

And Santorum can claim a victory as well so he will be wearing a big shit eating grin going into New Hampshire. His campaign is going nowhere but he doesn't know that yet.

And Ron Paul did well enough to stick around a little longer in and keep sniping at Mitt. Maybe even well enough to think about answering the siren call of an independent bid.

As for Rick Perry and Michelle - they are probably finished. So that is good also because they are just annoying.

All in all, a pretty good outcome, I do believe.

[auburngrad82]

1. The more people in the primary the more money the GOP has to spend BEFORE they can run against Obama

I'm all for that. Maybe God can tell Perry and Bachmann to give it another week or two.

[Renew Deal]

2. I think that there is a heavy "Anybody but Romney" vote

And the more candidates the more diluted that vote is. They need to drop out to give an alternative a bigger voice.

[yellowcanine]

4. Newt is abandoning his "no negative ad" pledge. He says he still holds to it but

he is now saying, "But I am going to tell the truth!" It is about to get real ugly. South Carolina is where the knives always come out. Mitt is about to take a couple in the back. The whispering campaign about MORMANISM has probably already started in SC.

[yellowcanine]

3. Perry is going back to TX to "reassess his campaign." He is done.

Perry is a quitter.

Who knows with Bachmann? It doesn't much matter. The freaks have a new horse - Ricky Santorum. Go Ricky!

[louis-t]

5. I think Perry and Bachmann followers will go to Santorum.

Both have strong evangelical support and he is the next logical step for them.