Live Q&As

The race issue is very important for Mr. Romney.  I suppose his camp would respond to you that the Mormon church officials amended this years ago. 

There could be a fight at the Tampa convention.  Most likely, though, that Romney will start adding up the delegate votes and be OK at the convention.  The Super PACs, however, are changing the usual dynamics of this because they can finance someone's campaign even if he is not winning many delegate votes.   An independent run would help President Obama's campaign and the Republicans would most likely try to argue that to any candidate thinking about an independent run.  It shall be interesting. 

Here in South Carolina the TV ads and mailings have made some hits on Romney.  But with Romney's Super PAC and other resources he is answering the challenges.  He can keep plugging along, yes.  However, he will be the target of his Republican colleagues for many more weeks most likely. 

Good points.  The Republican Party this round is experiencing what many Democratic front runners have endured in past elections.  The themes in the TV ads and mailings and social media from Romney's opponents now will not doubt reappear in the fall via the Obama campaign and Super PACs if Romney is the nominee.

During the campaign Representative Ron Paul has made many comments about the deficit and the cost of war and our current foreign policy.  The other candidates have not directly answered the question about paying for a war.  The other candidates are, however, quick to point to Iran, as you mention, as a future problem that would possibly lead to conflict.  They have not distanced themselves from President Bush's build up to the wars and the incorrect information used to justify it.  To me as an academic, Ron Paul's statements are remarkable because he even mentions the issue of people and interests making profits from war.  Someone might ask the other candidates what they think about that in future debates. 

Rick Santorum will do OK in South Carolina.  Paul and Romney's TV ads, flyers, and social media are hitting him, however, on earmarks.  Earmarks have been made a signature issue here by Senator De Mint.  In addition, Gingrich's campaign has a lot of ads and messages out about how according to them voting for Santorum is like a vote for Romney because Santorum is not viable.  We shall see.  Many independents participate in the South Carolina Republican primary and they might be more open to voting for Romney. 

That is difficult to know because Mr. Romney's religion is an issue with many South Carolina Republicans.  In 2000 Senator McCain was viciously attacked in South Carolina during the primary by the Bush campaign.  In 2008 McCain didn't face the same attacks and did not have as serious a religious issue (to South Carolina Republicans) as Mr. Romney seems to have. 

Some Republicans might do this.  It is more likely, however, that Independents participating in the primary might do so.  They also might vote for Romney out of a sense of pragmatism.  They want to beat Obama, #1 goal.

The primary this year is being influenced by the Super PACs in a unique way.  In the past, there were not this many candidates coming into the South Carolina Republican primary.  There was more winnowing after the Iowa  and New Hampshire results came in.  This many candidates, as other readers have pointed out, divides the evangelical and very socially conservative voters, which helps Mr. Romney stay a plurality winner.

As far as I know, Mr. Romney has not mentioned Defense Department cuts.  He makes some promises about cutting waste in government, and I think he includes the Defense Department in that.  South Carolina has a lot of military personnel, civilians working for the military, and businesses supplying the military, I believe only Ron Paul has made such a direct commitment about cutting military spending.  As far as I know, not one Republican candidate has defended TARP.  In fact, they attack each other for voting for TARP or saying anything supportive of TARP on a talk show or print in the past.  Whether any candidate can specify tax cuts that won't be painful to anyone is a good question.