The Winnowing has Started

Thankfully CNBC had the grit to stand by their debate criteria and winnow out two candidates who have no chance at winning the Republican nomination. Ms. Fiorina and Mr. Paul will be joined soon by Messrs. Carson, Santorum and Huckabee, which is at least a month overdue.

Jeb Bush’s current trajectory keeps him in the race through New Hampshire, but the main question being asked by his Super Pac contributors is when can I switch candidates?

All of these candidates have purported themselves seriously, and at some moments excelled, but none found a sufficient constituency given the angry voter dynamics of the 2015 warm-up with a dominant Donald Trump sucking up vast gulps of media oxygen and the crowded field of both conservatives and establishment figures.

As the blog “Republican Rush to Iowa and New Hampshire” pointed out, if Trump wins Iowa, he’s likely unstoppable. If Cruz wins, then a battle starts that goes at least through Super Tuesday on March 1 and the remaining March events.

Let the winnowing continue.