Still Running Off at the Keyboard

Political analysts may well wonder how John McCain, who lagged so far behind in the early stages of the campaign, managed to surge ahead towards what is now an almost certain Republican nomination. That sudden burst surprised many observers who earlier predicted that hard-line conservatives far preferred business-savvy Mitt Romney over maverick McCain, who has faced harsh criticism for being too chummy too often with Democrats.

One answer might well be traced to the little-noticed endorsement of Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, when he dropped out of the race. Brownback, a virtual unknown among the Republican contenders, may not have scored highly with evangelicals, but he was the clear favorite of Catholics.

After Brownback's endorsement, three McCain victories in New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Florida could be attributed to decidedly Catholic support for McCain's pro-life stance, and his sympathetic position on immigration. That, plus his strong stand on national security and his reputation as a fiscal conservative was very appealing to Catholic voters.

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