The Fast Fix: Down, but not out – yet

With the republican presidential race seemingly narrowing down to top prospects Rick Perry and Mitt Romney, why do candidates with less pull and a smaller base stay in the game?

The race for the Republican presidential nomination looks like a two-man sprint between Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

But what about the other 10 major candidates running for the chance to take on President Obama next fall? Why are they spending each and every day in a race that almost no one thinks they can win?

The answer is: It depends.

For someone like Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, she and her campaign team see a path back into the top tier of candidates if only they can pry conservatives away from Perry.

For Jon Huntsman, the former Utah governor, he may well have an eye on a run for president in 2016 and is using this race to introduce himself to Republican voters so that in four year time he is a top-tier guy from the start.

Others in the race like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and Texas Congressman Ron Paul are true believers. They are running not because they think they can win but because they believe they have a unique perspective to bring to the race and the country.

And then there are the likes of Michigan Congressman Thad McCotter and former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer who are running, well, just to run.

A presidential race, like a democracy, takes all kinds.

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