It's Down to Rudy and Mitt

The baffling race for the GOP nomination is now down to two, argues the Weekly Standard’s Fred Barnes: Only Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani have what really matters in the primary fight—“credible” paths to victory. Mitt’s the early-state favorite, the man to beat if he captures Iowa and New Hampshire. Rudy’s “scenario” involves winning Florida and then steamrolling on Super Tuesday. The best bet for the others? Pray for a miracle.

John McCain and Fred Thompson have effectively become second-tier candidates nine weeks before primary polls open, as they can’t claim plausible roads to Saint Paul. Both can hope for upset wins in South Carolina, but they’re still too short on money to launch bids for bigger states. And hoping someone else will slip, Barnes adds, isn’t really a winning strategy. (More Mitt Romney stories.)