After New Hampshire, Which GOP Candidate Will Bail Next?

by Allison Yarrow Jan 10, 2012 11:57 PM EST

With Romney blowing away his rivals in the Granite State, will any candidate follow Bachmann’s post-Iowa example and drop out? Initial reports say no, but that could change quickly. Allison Yarrow sizes up the field.

Will any GOP hopefuls drop out of the race since Mitt Romney sailed to easy victory in New Hampshire? Remember, Michele Bachmann fled after a poor showing in Iowa. Here’s a look at where the rest of the field stands, and who might be next to bail.

GOP Candidates Storm New Hampshire

Republicans Debate — Republican presidential candidates, from left, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, and Ron Paul at a debate in December. (Charlie Neibergall / AP Photo)

Ron Paul finished a clear second, and spoke off the cuff about defending civil liberties. He defended today’s attacks on Romney’s business practices and the former governor’s “I like to fire people” comment that went viral today. Much has been made of Paul’s young following, and with them, he’ll continue on in the race.

Newt Gingrich experienced tremendous blowback today after receiving a $5 million cash infusion into his super PAC from billionaire Sheldon Adelson. After the New Hampshire results were announced, Benjy Sarlin from Talking Points Memo tweeted that Gingrich HQ had a few journalists around but otherwise, crickets. When speaking, Gingrich reminded the TV cameras and folks in living rooms of his job-creation record.

If last-place Perry or Santorum pulled out, it wouldn't be a surprise.

Even a solid week of media attention lavished on Rick Santorum couldn’t help him in New Hampshire. He reached just 10 percent there, at last report. Perhaps his early South Carolina presence can help him. CNN’s John King says the Palmetto State may be more open to Santorum’s conservative values.

  Buzzfeed’s McKay Coppins speculates about whether Jon Huntsman Sr.’s gravy train can keep his son in the race. Huntsman HQ sure was optimistic about third place. His foreign-policy experience earned him a few New Hampshire supporters.

Sarah Palin told Fox News tonight that Rick Perry will not drop out, and still has plenty of cash. Perry finished last in New Hampshire—literary at 1 percent, according to our colleague, David Frum—after having packed up his ship to head early to South Carolina.

  The post-primary spin predicts that no candidate will drop out based on tonight’s performance, but if last-place Perry or Santorum pulled out, it wouldn't be a surprise.

In underdog, unofficial-candidate news, gay-rights activist Fred Karger tweeted that he’s in eighth place while Bachmann’s Brain tweeted that “Write In” nabbed only .3 percent fewer votes than Rick Perry.

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Allison Yarrow is assignment editor and a staff writer at Newsweek and The Daily Beast. Her essays and journalism have appeared in Huffington Post, Slate, CNN.com, Poets & Writers magazine, and The Forward. She created and hosted the Yid Lit podcast, which interviews authors of literary fiction and nonfiction. Previously, as an associate producer at NBC News Productions, Allison produced health segments for a nationally syndicated program hosted by Hoda Kotb and long-form documentary hours for MSNBC.

For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at editorial@thedailybeast.com.

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