How the Republican presidential race is firming up

With two favorite sons (one of them adopted) in the presidential race, Utahns, more than most Americans, are following the contest closely. And with the field of contenders likely set, the race is firming up, with frontrunners, sleeper candidates and also-rans. We explore the watercooler questions:

The most important question regarding the debate last Wednesday night is not who won, but who prevailed in the postmortem analysis by pundits and bloggers. Who is wining the spin cycle?

Pignanelli: "It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech." — Mark Twain. The universal consensus among political observers is that Mitt Romney is bolstered by his debate performance. Other than a handful of Texas newspapers that praised their Gov. Rick Perry (readers may now roll their eyes), veteran politicos praised Romney for deflecting attacks and articulating an economic agenda. Perry is receiving high marks for not appearing as a complete Neanderthal.

Webb: While Perry and Romney were the center of attention and both did reasonably well, Jon Huntsman also received some pundit plaudits, again demonstrating that the news media like his "sensible moderation," as one writer put it. Romney was portrayed as solid and steady, while Perry was more up and down in his first debate, but probably didn't erode his frontrunner status.

What strategy must Huntsman use before he becomes irrelevant?

Webb: It is still very early. Four years ago, eventual nominee John McCain was not the frontrunner at this point in the contest. The frontrunners faded. Huntsman, a McCain protégé, is, no doubt, hoping for a similar outcome in this cycle. But it's hard to see it happening, although his debate performance helped. Huntsman is so far back in the pack, and his mainstream message, while popular with the news media, isn't resonating with the conservative Republicans crucial to winning the nomination.

Huntsman may be running for secretary of state, vice president or 2016 president, but he needs additional strong performances and upward poll numbers to even be viable for those opportunities. A pundit noted that coming in second or third positions a candidate to run again. But coming in seventh is no way to win the future.