I didn’t include Herman Cain in my wrap-up of the last debate because I thought his performance was decent but not enough to really have any impact on his campaign. The Florida straw poll is just a straw poll, but the reports coming out of Orlando make me wonder if I was premature in reaching that conclusion.

The Republican base by and large likes Cain, but many people don’t think he can win. Others question how well he would govern once he moves beyond generalities. But the first problem might be surmountable if doubts about Rick Perry persist (I’m taking granted that doubts about Mitt Romney will continue). Cain rose in the polls after a solid early debate performance. It will be interesting to see if Perry’s troubles help produce a Cain comeback.