[W]ho matters, the way that Ted Kennedy mattered when he endorsed Barack Obama? I agree with Steve Benen and Ed Kilgore: the one person poised to make a difference is South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint.
DeMint is one of very few Republicans who is absolutely safe from accusations of RINO-dom, and therefore would be risking little if he decides to go with Romney. He’s also someone who could send a strong signal to conservative politicians and activists that Perry is the one to rally around to stop Romney. Now, I’m not saying (nor are others) that DeMint can single-handedly deliver the nomination, but only that his decision is almost certainly a very important one. And that he has a lot more freedom to maneuver here than many other GOP leaders.
The Dish 