That PPP poll (noted by Intel Dan) showing Herman Cain leading the GOP primary field is more evidence of the screwy here-you-take-it, no-you-take-it dynamic of the race. The media has spent the last couple weeks declaring Mitt Romney the inevitable nominee. But, unlike every other candidate who has ridden a wave of media attention, Romney has not seen his numbers rise.
Romney is stuck at 22 percent nationally, behind Cain’s 30 percent. And the voters are very open to changing their minds:
The proportion of Republicans who don’t want to vote for Romney seems very large and undeterred by the lack of credible alternatives. Perry has a lot of money, and it’s plausible that he can improve his debating performance (which has already risen from “addled” to “near-sentient”). If Republicans aren’t flocking to Romney now, it’s a sign they want to give every chance for somebody else to emerge.
