Ron Paul, the Protest Candidate

Seems obvious that Ron Paul is benefiting from those voters who are too disgusted to vote for Romney. This might make for some interesting results down the pike; it is within the realm of possibility (but not probability, at this point) that Paul could either win the nomination outright or go into the convention with so many delegates that it would result in a brokered convention. Now that is not the most likely outcome, because too many people just don't believe that Ron Paul could possibly win the nomination. That sort of pessimism tends to be self-fulfilling.

Paul could go into the convention with enough delegates to demand concessions from Romney, however; maybe Treasury Secretary, where he would preside over the dismantling of the Fed. Or he might demand a role in the crafting of the Republican platform. He's too old for VP, really, Romney needs to pick a young man or woman for that position so as to assure an heir down the pike.

As for Romney himself, I'll reprint here what I wrote in a comment at Borepatch's place:

Romney, when it comes down to it, is a decent man, apparently has no skeletons in his closet, and is competent enough to make an effective president. The big point against him is the towering ambition that makes him want the job so much that he's willing to pander to nearly anyone in his quest to achieve it. If he had genuine conservative principles and subordinated his ambition to them, we'd be looking at another Reagan, or a man even better than Reagan, but that ambition is making him behave like a whore who worries that she won't have made enough money to satisfy her pimp. Ugly to see.