Seven Republican presidential contenders descend on Las Vegas Tuesday night for their first debate since pizza magnate Herman Cain clambered next to Mitt Romney atop the polls, pinning Cain in the crosshairs of the other contenders hoping for a turn as the chief alternative to the front-runner for the GOP nomination.
If that’s a familiar narrative — a Romney rival goes under the klieg lights at a debate — it’s because former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Texas Gov. Rick Perry both served it up before. And both wilted. Pawlenty withdrew from the race and then endorsed Romney, and Perry is combating questions about his continued viability as a candidate after a series of stumbles and weak debate performances.
GOP Candidates Debate in Nevada: Can Cain Stand the Spotlight?
