Today's Iowa Presidential Debate Pre-Hash

It seems like there’s a GOP Presidential Debate every week (sometimes two), and that they’re largely the same. Obama-bashing, finger-pointing, pea-cocking for the Tea party voters. However, there’s more to the incessant debating in this election cycle. The GOP Presidential Debates have had a strong impact on the Republican field throughout the primary campaign season, and as the January 3^rd Iowa Caucus approaches, the upcoming Des Moines forum tomorrow promises to be one of the most influential of the race thus far. This is because the top GOP front-runners, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, have been the two most consistently well-performing debaters throughout.

One of the biggest issues facing the GOP primary candidate stable is that the field has been so open, and so diverse in their conservative base, from a fanatical Tea Party following to big-dollar corporate backers and Texas-brand evangelicals. However, no one candidate has been able to hold more than a ten point lead over their rivals, creating a fairly unsettling situation for establishment Republicans in Washington. Perhaps because the field lacks that one transformative candidate, debates have played a large role in the roller-coaster of public support this primary season. Mitt Romney has stayed at or near the top the entire time, but is proving a tough sell to that important evangelical vote. Rick Perry, an evangelical darling (even holding a mass prayer rally to “save America”), bombed every debate in which he participated. Michelle Bachmann, likewise, found that her Tea Party endorsement wasn’t enough to cover up a complete lack of policy knowledge. Herman Cain, on the other hand, performed well in the GOP debates, particularly the Florida debate, which launched him into first place. However, personal scandal and a few embarrassing media lapses has knocked out his star.

Now, after a fairly unspectacular summer campaign, Gingrich finds himself the resurgent candidate, topping Romney’s numbers by some polls. Both Gingrich and Romney have performed consistently well in these decisive presidential debates, and less than a month from the Iowa Caucus, the Des Moines debate tomorrow will prove to be a very influential media event for a race that is closely tied to two very established Republican figures.

Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, has been a solid candidate for the GOP primary, though with recent developments like Occupy Wall Street and the White House’s attacks on Congressional Republicans as “attacking the middle class”, Romney’s corporate credentials are not necessarily favorable. In addition, his Mormon faith has been a tough sell for evangelicals. Gingrich, on the other hand, is seen by both Democrats and Republicans as a political wild card. His track record as former House Speaker was punctuated by highs (the Farm Act and federal surplus) and lows (infidelity, two government shutdowns, and House Ethics investigation). The Republican leadership is hesitant to endorse the candidate, who seems to have a knack for throwing his own campaign under the bus. That said, he does have some “outsider” status, partly because of his behavior, that Romney is lacking.