Tonight Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, NH, will host the second Republican Debate, and it could prove to be a very important one for Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani and Ron Paul.

Senator John McCain is done, and was done before he started, due to his own constitutional makeup (he seems to be out of steam for the contest) and his stance on immigration. The Republican roots are up in ARMS about the new McCain "remedy" to immigration. While we here at the Conspiracy take a stricter, pro-freedom economic and Constitutional view on immigration (controlling immigration is not a federally enumerated power), we recognize that many republicans are irate at the lack of "enforcement" on the borders. McCain's participation in the new federal plan has killed any chance he once had.

Rudy Giuliani will have to work very hard tonight to convince people that his more open view about immigration is correct.

But Mitt Romney has been stressing tougher border security for some time, and though he has not been in the immigration ring as long as someone like Tom Tancredo or Duncan Hunter, he has a stronger campaign team and more money (MUCH MORE), and so if he handles it right tonight, he can win points in a big way.

Note, the latest Zogby poll shows that Romney, who is handling his race very well in NH and Iowa, has large leads in both states. The pop media is not picking up on this, and is, instead, concentrating on national polls. They are making a mistake in not seeing what is happening on the ground for Romney in NH and Iowa.

Tonight could be his night, if he hits the immigration issue properly in the eyes of republican devotees.

For Ron Paul, the COngressman could do himself well by being more specific and adroit about his very valid positions on the use of the US military and other constitutional issues. He has impressed many people, but needs to be more concise and direct about his points.

We'll let you know what happens.