After staying on the sidelines for a while, the Republican Party establishment may be about to pick sides in the race.
As the GOP presidential field emerges from the traditional Labor Day starting gate, the candidates are confronting a sobering reality: They’re already running out of time.
Though there are still months to go before Republicans start casting real primary ballots, party leaders say the dynamics of the race could be locked in place by the end of October. That’s because the Republican establishment — which has largely stayed neutral in the GOP primary — is about to start picking sides.
After countless attempts to lure new options into their party’s presidential field, GOP fundraisers and power brokers are coming to terms with what looks like an increasingly binary choice between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry.