If Republicans are starting to think McCain has it, then it may be over. This is a long standing pattern in the post-Nixon party:
- Ford defeats Reagan, making it Reagan’s turn.
- Reagan defeats Bush, making it Bush’s turn.
- Bush defeats Dole, making it Dole’s turn.
- Bush defeats McCain, making it McCain’s turn now?
Obviously there’s one break in the pattern, where nobody got a turn from a loss in 1996, but three of four isn’t bad.
If the pattern holds and McCain wins this, I wonder if Romney or Huckabee will get a turn.