I think there are only three (maybe four) Republican candidates that are still viable for the Republican nomination going forward after the last debate: Trump, Cruz, and Rubio.
Chris Christie, I will throw in as a wild card because he says a lot of the right things (and often say it very well) but doesn't always practice it and that's the kind of things the Republican Party likes (IMHO). It is unlikely that Christie could defeat Hillary Clinton, though.
Personally, I have been leaning Cruz, but Trump stepped up his game in this debate when it came to actually addressing issues...and his intelligence is underestimated by the people who time after time have said "well, Trump is not going to survive this." Trump's speaking skills are brash and not politically correct and leads to a lot of misinterpretation by a media that doesn't understand that kind of language, and it falls immediate prey to left wing ideologues who don't have a grasp of language nuance of anything to the right of them and are always looking for something to be offended by anyway. . .
Though I still lean Cruz, I am OK with Trump. Rubio is a "maybe" on down the line, but a "maybe" that may be irrelevant after Iowa. I believe that if Trump takes Iowa...he will sail to the nomination. States like New Jersey, Texas will likely not give it to Trump, but I think Florida is a maybe for him and...if Bush and Rubio haven't already dropped out....will have to concede defeat then.
I have an issue with Rand Paul and his loyalties and it kind affirms to me that I was right to write him off months ago. When Paul did his "filibuster" I recollect there was one other Senator who aided him and that person was Ted Cruz. So I think it clarifies his loyalty when he has said what he did on the Cruz "eligibility" claim.
I have much respect for Ben Carson and he was an early favorite. I don't think, however, that his time is now...but he would likely be viable for a future run should he attempt to do that. He has already put out sound bytes suggesting he might only be a one term president or that he might run for a congressional seat. That, to me, is a sign of a lack of commitment to this race.
Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum both hold strong Christian values but not enough, it would appear, for them to grab the evangelicals (like Huckabee did last time around). If they stay in it will be only for sound bytes...but their survival viability is pretty much zero.
Carly Fiorina is the antithesis of Hillary in many ways. That is good on some issues. but I have seen too much of her pushing her way into debates or media time because she is "a woman." I'm for a candidate based more on substance rather then gender (or race for that matter). Fiorina might claim--and rightly claim--that Hillary's campaign is very sexist. But I don't think Fiorina's campaign can escape that label either.
Anyway..this is the way I see it today.
