It is less than a year now until a GOP candidate will go head-to-head with the bright-eyed former poster child of the Democratic Party. That is the only sure thing at this point. Everything else in the race is completely up in the air as the GOP has had a terrible time focusing in on one candidate — one with an actual chance of winning the presidency.

Mitt Romney stays consistent in polls

Throughout the lead up to the primaries, Mitt Romney has been the only candidate able to stay consistent in the polls. The GOP has become a joke in politics because it pulls candidates to the top fast and out of nowhere and then quickly drops them to the ground of political obscurity.

Michele Bachmann falls in polls from top to bottom

Michele Bachmann won the Iowa straw poll in August, becoming the first woman to do so. Prior to her victory, she was known for her strong conservative values and unwillingness to compromise on the debt ceiling. Then, all of a sudden, she was considered a possible contender for the GOP nomination. But just as fast as she rose to the top, she fell to the bottom due to her inability to connect with anyone besides her Tea Party followers. Many are now questioning whether she should stay in the race.

What happened? How can someone fall so far from favor and into so much hate?

GOP unprepared, scrambling to find good candidates

I believe that it is the curse of a party in chaos. The GOP doesn’t know what it is or what it wants. After John McCain lost to President Obama in 2008, the Republican National Committee was given a good two years to find and prepare their own golden boy.

For goodness sakes, the Democratic National Committee was preparing Obama long before he ran. Remember the Democratic National Convention in 2004, where Obama gave a speech that captivated the audience and put him on everyone’s watch list. Was this by chance? No, this was perfectly organized for him to peak at just the right time and take the White House.

The Republican National Committee wasted their time. They did not find the Republican equivalent of Obama. Instead, they sat by and watched as multiple people from different walks of life came forward as candidates. Because they were not prepared and ready to go with a strong and viable candidate that can be elected, the GOP has been scrambling with what they have, pulling them in close and then dropping them like they’re yesterday’s news.

Rick Perry, Herman Cain lose fan bases

After Bachmann, the governor of Texas, Rick Perry, skyrocketed ahead of many of the candidates appearing to be the savior for the Republican Party. It soon became obvious that Perry was and is way too radical to unite a divided party. He also stumbled in debates, including the now infamous “oops!”, which occurred during the Nov. 9 Republican presidential debate. After falling from the top, Perry has spent much of his campaigning trying to regain his once excited fan base.

The problem is, Perry just isn’t electable. His past mistakes, like enacting a bill that made young girls get the human papilloma virus vaccine, and radical views on things such as Social Security will keep him far from the Oval Office.

After Perry, everyone’s favorite pizza man cooked up some attention with a great smile and the catchy title of his 9-9-9 plan. Herman Cain’s plan immediately went under scrutiny as he began to rise in popularity. Then as he was soaring high as the front-runner, four women claimed that Cain sexually assaulted them, one giving graphic details. This began to erode the foundation that he had tried so hard to build. He then had an extremely embarrassing moment. When asked if he agreed with Obama on Libya, Cain was unable to form an intelligent answer as it took him a few moments to realize what was going on. And if all of that wasn’t enough, a woman then came forward to claim a 13-year affair with Cain.

Unfortunately for Cain, he fell so far that a suspension in his campaign became the only option. The once very likable and popular candidate was pushed off the top to make way for the latest fad.

Republican Party divided

Now the former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, has risen to the front of the pack. Just give it time, something will happen. Gingrich may be brilliant, but he isn’t electable.

Frank Bruni of the New York Times believes that Americas familiarity with Gingrich and his issues will help him become an actual contender, but I disagree. Gingrich’s multiple marriages, pompous behavior and demeanor, and his poor dealing with Freddie Mac will serve to his end. And just as the GOP curse has slashed the tires of Bachmann, Perry, and Cain, it will do the same to Gingrich.

The Republican Party is divided down the middle. On one side is the ultra-conservative Tea Party, while the other side seems to be what is left of the Good Old Party. As long as the Republican Party needs the support of the Tea Party to get a candidate into office, compromise will be nearly impossible to garner. In the time being while the party searches for a lasting candidate, many will rise and fall. But the one that has remained relatively constant is Mitt Romney, seemingly a man among boys.