New favourite emerges to challenge Obama

There’s a new favourite in the race for the Republican nomination to take on Barack Obama in 2012. Yesterday saw Mitt Romney hobbled from his number one spot – on betting website Intrade at least – by Texan Governor Rick Perry.

Romney had been seen as the candidate most likely to secure his party’s nomination next year ever since he finished second to John McCain in the 2008 primaries. However, support for Romney has never reached the levels expected of frontrunners, with many Republicans keen to vote for someone more conservative. Rick Perry may just be that man.

Perry’s position as (narrow) favourite is somewhat surprising when you consider that he’s not officially running yet. It demonstrates the weakness of the current field that the man considered most likely to win is not even in it. It’s not just Romney who’s failed to spark with his party’s voters: neither Tim Pawlenty nor Jon Huntsman (who were for a long time the second and third favourites) have seen their support rise significantly since they began their campaigns.