THE LATEST AND PERHAPS LAST REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION DEBATE............

Last night's CNN Republican Presidential Nomination Debate, the twenty first in less than a year, and the last one scheduled, show again that the rise of a conservative altenative candidate choice to Mitt Romney is a daunting challenge, despite the skepticism regarding Romney.  Former  Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum who in recent weeks has surged ahead of Romney in national polls and to a lead in Romney's birth state of Michigan, as well as closing in on him in Arizona, where the next two primaries are being held next Tuesday, went into last night's CNN Mesa, Arizona Republican Presidential Debate considered the current frontrunner, as well as key social conservative alternative to Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.  However, Romney, Gingrich, and Paul, did their utmost to put and keep Santorum on the defensive, unabling his ability to breakthrough as the most effective debater last night.  Whether Santorum's debate performance or Romney's moneyball in advertising can or will thwart the alternative to Romney surge Santorum has successfully mounted in recent weeks will be determined by next Tuesday's results in Arizona and Michigan, and will shape the direction of the race for the nomination going forward to Super Tuesday March 6th.  With no further debates scheduled, political advertisements will come into the ascendancy in determining the path ahead to Tampa and the eventual Republican standardbearer.............Fr.  Troy