Herman "Sugar" Cain is now tied with Mitt Romney, according to the latest CBS New poll.
2012 Republican Nomination for President (among Republican primary voters)Perry has completely collapsed and Cain has won over supporters through his debate performances.
Now (Two weeks ago)
Mitt Romney 17% (16%)
Herman Cain 17 (5)
Rick Perry 12 (23)
Newt Gingrich 8 (7)
Ron Paul 7 (5)
Michele Bachmann 4 (7)
Rick Santorum 3 (1)
Jon Huntsman 2 (1)
Undecided/Don’t know 18 (22)
At this point we have lived through a Trump boomlet, a Bachmann boomlet, a Perry boomlet, and we are now in what will likely be a Cain boomlet. The only persistant figure throughout these little periods of enthusiasm for an alternative is Mitt Romney. This makes me think that despite his lack of appeal and his lack of ideological consistency, he remains the man to beat.