I like to say I hate electoral politics. Maybe I just want people to think I’m the kind of person who hates electoral politics. (We are all capable of being wrong about ourselves.) I have to say, briefly, that this was the most encouraging Republican debate since . . . 1980? These are all serious people, and I’m including Trump. They all love America, and not just what they might get from America.

That’s with 88 percent of the counting complete. The bigger story: Romney’s underperforming his 2008 results in key counties. Santorum outperforming Huckabee in 2008. What does it all mean? Conservatives and libertarians dominate the caucuses. Romney is the choice of the Republican establishment. The cronies poured millions into his campaign even before he declared himself a conservative. He’s won endorsements from just about every big name general election loser include Bob Dole and George H.