Either Romney or Huckabee will be the 2012 nominee if McCain loses he election. Look at how the Rpeublican party has worked in that sense ever since 1976. Whoever comes in second in the primary in one election year is the nominee in the next unless the nominee is an incumbent President or VP except in 1996/2000.
1976: First place- Ford, Second place-Reagan
1980:First Place-Reagan, second Place- Bush
1988:First Place- Bush, Second Place-Dole
1996:First Place-Dole, Second Place-Buchanen/Forbes
2000:First Place-Bush, Second Place- McCain
2008:First Place-McCain, Second Place- Romney/Huckabee
A pattern can be fun and interesting, but it won't apply in 2012. By then, Huckabee and Romney will be nobodies that are 6 years from the last time they held office.
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