First Serious GOP Presidential Debate Is Tonight

The field still has not been finally set for the Republican presidential candidates. Some have dropped out of contention (Mitch Daniels, Mike Huckabee, Haley Barbour). Some are officially in the race (Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, Rick Santorum). Some are on the edge of declaring their candidacy (Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Jon Huntsman). And still others are pondering an entrance into the race (Sarah Palin, Rudy Giuliani, Rick Perry). However, decision time is very near for all of them, since campaign organizations must be built and money raised well before the first of next year.

But ready or not, the race is about to have it's first serious debate. It is hosted by CNN, WMUR-TV, and the New Hampshire Union Leader, and it will be broadcast live on CNN tonight at 8:00pm (EST). Seven candidates and almost-candidates will be participating in the debate. They are Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, Tim Pawlenty, Rick Santorum, and Mitt Romney.

Now it's still pretty early in this process to pick a nominee (more than six months from the first primary), and for most of the candidates this will just be an opportunity to introduce themselves to the voters (and hopefully not look like too much of an idiot). But I have to believe that for two candidates this will be a very important night for their campaigns -- Tim Pawlenty and Newt Gingrich.

According to the political punditsTim Pawlenty was supposed to be one of the favorites to get the Republican nomination (and amazingly, they are still saying that). But the fact is that in poll after poll Pawlenty has been unable to break out of single digits, and it's usually lower single digits (like 3% to 5%). This is his big chance to appeal to Republican voters nationwide and get some support. If he doesn't start showing something pretty soon, he'll find the campaign money going to others and he'll be left out in the cold.

Newt Gingrich has just had his campaign organization implode on him. He had already shot himself in the foot by bad-mouthing the Ryan Plan and was still trying to get his campaign back on track from the fallout on that. But a few days ago all of his campaign staff quit on him, and it wasn;t just the national staff -- the local staff in South Carolina and Iowa have also abandoned him. Gingrich has to do well in the debate just to keep his campaign alive.

So if you're a political junkie like me, it's time to break out the popcorn. The real show is finally beginning, and with this field of candidates it should be entertaining at the very least.