For weeks, we have talked about whether one of the "second tier" candidates could have a big moment at one of the GOP Presidential debates, allowing them to jump up in the polls. Right now, Herman Cain is that candidate.
A new poll from CBS News last night showed Cain tied with Mitt Romney for first in the Republican race for the White House, as the two both had 17%. Rick Perry trailed with 12%, the only other GOP hopeful in double digits.
That poll emerged just hours after Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey publicly announced that he would not run for the Republican nomination, a move that did not short circuit the recent surge by Cain.
"Message = Momentum!" Cain's campaign tweeted on Tuesday night.
Big Mo would certainly have been with Christie for days instead of Cain, just like it was with Rick Perry when he stepped all over Michele Bachmann's victory in the Iowa Straw Poll.
Chalk one up for being in the right place at the right time for Cain.
On Wednesday morning, another poll showed evidence of Cain's surge, as Quinnipiac University has Romney leading with 22%, Cain at 17%, with Perry at 14%.
"A big question now is whether Herman Cain is a serious candidate for the nomination," said Peter Brown of Quinnipiac, who noted that Cain had "zoomed into second place ahead of Perry."
Once the attention shifts from the still-born Christie candidacy, it is likely to focus on Cain, his background and proposals," said Brown, adding that "will determine whether his candidacy is the real deal or one that rises and falls once attention focuses on him, as happened to Minnesota U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann."
Ever since his debate performance in Orlando almost two weeks ago, and then his victory in the Florida Straw Poll, Cain has been getting a big second look from GOP voters, especially some who have soured a bit on Rick Perry.
One note is that the CBS poll had a very high rate of undecideds, at 18%, which means this race remains very fluid. No other candidate was in double digits, as Newt Gingrich was at 8%, Ron Paul 7%, Bachmann 4%, Rick Santorum 3% and Jon Huntsman at 2%.
Cain is also getting very good marks on the web, where his new book is already a best seller on Amazon.
The Georgia businessman is now starting his book tour, which has raised some eyebrows, since it won't have him campaigningexclusively in states like Iowa and New Hampshire.
But maybe since Herman Cain is no politician, he can afford not to schedule himself like a regular politician.
In the last four months, we have seen two GOP candidates take big jumps in the polls and then ride the wave back down, as first Michele Bachmann and then Rick Perry soared and fell.
Bachmann could be in deep trouble; there's still the thought that Perry will stay in the top tier.
Herman Cain backers hope he doesn't repeat that big up and down theme anytime soon.
