Texas Congressman Ron Paul was very effective in last night’s Iowa ABC debate, going on the attack against Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House.
Paul was more effective than Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts Governor, who for the first time seemed on the defensive as his poll numbers decline, and Gingrich surges in polls in Iowa, South Carolina and Florida.
While Michele Bachmann made strong attacks against Gingrich as well, it seems inevitable that Ron Paul, with his libertarian support and many young people behind him, is the “wild card” in Iowa, and could actually win that state, complicating Gingrich’s surge toward the nomination.
And there is always the thought that even if Gingrich is the party nominee, Ron Paul could run as a third party candidate, and effectively, re-elect Barack Obama.
One other thought: It was disappointing that former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman did not participate, because he is not competing in the Iowa caucuses and hedging his bets on the New Hampshire primary, where he is spending most of his time and money, hoping to stage an upset victory over Mitt Romney. Newt Gingrich might just destroy that possibility, plus Ron Paul’s followers! The exposure to the voters might have been preferable to staying away from the debate.