Anna Sale

This election cycle, most of the party’s elites are lined up behind Mitt Romney. But Romney, though ahead in the delegate count, has struggled to unify the base of the party in a way that will force his challengers out of the election. It shows how far the influence of those elites has fallen.

Newt Gingrich picked up a double-digit victory in South Carolina over one-time frontrunner Mitt Romney on Saturday. With less than a week to go, the election turns toward Florida, where Romney may be able to use his campaign war chest to his advantage. But Gingrich is already surging.

Mitt Romney, the clear frontrunner, faced a general assault from his Republican challengers at a debate in South Carolina, just a few days before the state votes in its primary.

On Tuesday, Republicans will have a chance to vote in the second electoral contest of the 2012 GOP Presidential primary season. Mitt Romney has a commanding lead, but there are signs of a lack of enthusiasm among voters.

Over the weekend, Herman Cain suspended his campaign and hinted that he would issue an endorsement soon. Most Cain supporters seem to be migrating to Newt Gingrich. Could a Gingrich victory ultimately be a win for Barack Obama?