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Posted: 11:49 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011
By Jamie Dupree
For the third time in fifteen days, the Republican Presidential candidates gather for a debate, this time in Orlando, Florida, where a new face will join the GOP bid to slow down frontrunners Rick Perry and Mitt Romney.
Many expect a repeat of the last two debates, where Romney aggressively went after Perry on Social Security ("Ponzi Scheme") and illegal immigration.
Romney showcased those same themes on Wednesday during a stop in Miami, where he tweaked Perry from long distance.
"I like legal immigration," Romney said, as he endorsed a fence along the border with Mexico, something Perry says is only needed in urban areas of his state.
Romney's team limbered up for the debate with another series of email jabs at Perry, calling him "Governor Sub-Zero" and issuing six questions about how Perry would deal with Social Security.
In Tampa last week, Perry tried to brush off Romney's attacks, reminding the former Massachusetts Governor that he also has raised questions about the viability of that retirement system.
"Listen, this is a broken system," said Perry, who argued that he wasn't the first to use the term "Ponzi Scheme" to describe it.
Several polls in recent days have shown Perry still leading the GOP race, with Romney close behind, and the others falling further back.
That means tonight's debate is another chance for Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Herman Cain, Jon Huntsman and Rick Santorum to break out of the pack and get up to the leaders.
But, in their way tonight will be a candidate that most voters have never seen, let alone heard about, as former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson will be on stage for the first time.
In a move that reportedly aggravated the Florida Republican Party, which is co-sponsoring this debate, Fox News decided to let Johnson in because he had 1% in support in five different recent polls.
It makes you wonder what Johnson might do with his opportunity.
Will he go after Perry and Romney and try to make a big splash? Will he take jabs at the Other Half Dozen who are chasing the leaders?
Or will Johnson just be another voice up there, only adding clutter to the debate?
I'm in Orlando for the debate, so check back for more coverage on the 2012 Elections.
Jamie Dupree is the Radio News Director of the Washington Bureau of the Cox Media Group and writes the Washington Insider blog.
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