I Quit a Cush Job in Bejing for This?

And then there were 5....

Jon Huntsman will not carry his flag south to South Carolina and Florida and is instead slated to endorse Mitt Romney today.  Huntsman was a good candidate running in the wrong year.  His form of inclusive, moderate, globally-savvy Republicanism, which was appreciated a lot back in the days of George H.W. Bush and Jim Baker, is loved little these days.  He bet the farm on a good showing in New Hampshire after bypassing the Iowa Caucuses and he had a decent showing, but third place in your best state is not going to win you the nomination, and South Carolina sure looked like hostile turf to a Jon Huntsman.

Presumably, Huntsman's withdrawal modestly helps Romney, as a I would suspect the are targeting a similar demographic of more moderate, establishment Republicans.  But Huntsman's support was so small in South Carolina and Florida, this really has little impact on the landscape of those two states, although it will provide more time for the remaining candidates at the upcoming debates.

The only question left is whether Mitt Romney can close the deal in South Carolina (a win there would winnow the field a whole lot, and quickly) or will some alternative emerge to consolidate Mitt's opposition and make a race of it.

Delegate Won To Date (includes Iowa and New Hampshire, excludes "soft" endorsements from RNC delegates)
Romney - 13
Paul - 9
Santorum - 6
Gingrich - 4
Perry - 3
Huntsman - 2
Other - 0

Needed for Nomination: 1,144

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