[h=3]By NEIL KING JR.[/h]TAMPA, Fla.—The big Republican powwow here was mostly about Mitt Romney. For brief moments, it also has cast a bright light on the long list of others who might lead the party should he fall short in November.
Conventions pick nominees, but they also help create the party's next wave of political stars. Much of the buzz in Tampa swirled around all the up-and-comers on display, and who among them might be the party's next leader.
"I believe we will win in November, but I also believe we have the strongest team of future leaders our party has ever seen," said Mike Duncan, a former Republican Party chairman and veteran of 11 GOP conventions.
While reluctant to consider a potential defeat at a time when many in the party are increasingly bullish about Mr. Romney's chances, delegates and party elders all had favorite 2016 contenders should Mr. Romney lose.
Topping most lists was the party's freshly anointed vice-presidential pick, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, who in mere weeks has galvanized support from disparate wings of the party, including tea-party adherents, Southern evangelicals and Midwestern Catholics. He is now widely seen as the face of the next generation.
"At this point, any list has to start with Ryan," said Ed Rollins, a veteran Republican campaign operative.
Others gathered in Tampa also made their stamp.
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez wowed delegates with a speech—laced with a few lines of Spanish—on how she left the Democratic Party and once packed a pistol to do guard duty for her parent's security firm.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who was given the prime speaking spot Thursday night just before Mr. Romney, packed his days here with TV interviews, fundraisers and delegate breakfasts, brushing off questions about any presidential ambitions of his own down the road.
Many of the party's biggest names weren't shy about promoting themselves during their time on the convention stage.
In his address to a national prime-time audience Tuesday night, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie didn't mention the soon-to-be-nominee until the last third of his address, after telling his own tale—"son of an Irish father and a Sicilian mother"—and touting his accomplishments in New Jersey.
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who fought Mr. Romney through three and a half months of primary contests, noted Mr. Romney all of three times in his speech.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, seen by many as the person most likely to take over the party's restive libertarian wing, was even more parsimonious in his praise for the GOP nominee. He mentioned James Madison more often than he did Mr. Romney in a speech Wednesday night.
Veterans within the party say a Romney loss in November would likely scramble the Republican Party, emboldening certain flanks while throwing others into disorder.
"The knives will be out for the moderates, while the grass-roots, religious element will rise up and be a force," said Mr. Rollins.
Republicans have a long tradition of picking nominees on their second bid, based on the notion that their first attempt has left them more seasoned and battle-hardened. Among the 2012 challengers, however, only a few may remain plausible contenders four or eight years from now, Republican operatives say.
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, for instance, has proved a feisty surrogate for Mr. Romney, but faces the challenge of remaining relevant the longer he is out of office.
"Normally, it's a guy who has won and lost before who comes to the fore, but the next one, whether it's 2016 or 2020, will be heavy with newcomers who have never run for national office," said Frank Cannon, who has advised several Republican presidential campaigns, including Arizona Sen. John McCain's two efforts.
That is not stopping some among the 2012 crowd from flashing signs of interest in another run at the White House.
As he made the rounds here, Texas Gov. Rick Perry told NBC News that he would "absolutely" weigh another presidential bid.
So would former pizza executive Herman Cain, who also hopped among events and interviews here this week. "The biological clock is ticking," said his top adviser, Mark Block, "but he's certainly not shutting the door on it."
Write to Neil King Jr. at [email protected]
Conventions pick nominees, but they also help create the party's next wave of political stars. Much of the buzz in Tampa swirled around all the up-and-comers on display, and who among them might be the party's next leader.
"I believe we will win in November, but I also believe we have the strongest team of future leaders our party has ever seen," said Mike Duncan, a former Republican Party chairman and veteran of 11 GOP conventions.
While reluctant to consider a potential defeat at a time when many in the party are increasingly bullish about Mr. Romney's chances, delegates and party elders all had favorite 2016 contenders should Mr. Romney lose.
Topping most lists was the party's freshly anointed vice-presidential pick, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, who in mere weeks has galvanized support from disparate wings of the party, including tea-party adherents, Southern evangelicals and Midwestern Catholics. He is now widely seen as the face of the next generation.
"At this point, any list has to start with Ryan," said Ed Rollins, a veteran Republican campaign operative.
Others gathered in Tampa also made their stamp.
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez wowed delegates with a speech—laced with a few lines of Spanish—on how she left the Democratic Party and once packed a pistol to do guard duty for her parent's security firm.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who was given the prime speaking spot Thursday night just before Mr. Romney, packed his days here with TV interviews, fundraisers and delegate breakfasts, brushing off questions about any presidential ambitions of his own down the road.
Many of the party's biggest names weren't shy about promoting themselves during their time on the convention stage.
In his address to a national prime-time audience Tuesday night, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie didn't mention the soon-to-be-nominee until the last third of his address, after telling his own tale—"son of an Irish father and a Sicilian mother"—and touting his accomplishments in New Jersey.
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who fought Mr. Romney through three and a half months of primary contests, noted Mr. Romney all of three times in his speech.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, seen by many as the person most likely to take over the party's restive libertarian wing, was even more parsimonious in his praise for the GOP nominee. He mentioned James Madison more often than he did Mr. Romney in a speech Wednesday night.
Veterans within the party say a Romney loss in November would likely scramble the Republican Party, emboldening certain flanks while throwing others into disorder.
"The knives will be out for the moderates, while the grass-roots, religious element will rise up and be a force," said Mr. Rollins.
Republicans have a long tradition of picking nominees on their second bid, based on the notion that their first attempt has left them more seasoned and battle-hardened. Among the 2012 challengers, however, only a few may remain plausible contenders four or eight years from now, Republican operatives say.
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, for instance, has proved a feisty surrogate for Mr. Romney, but faces the challenge of remaining relevant the longer he is out of office.
"Normally, it's a guy who has won and lost before who comes to the fore, but the next one, whether it's 2016 or 2020, will be heavy with newcomers who have never run for national office," said Frank Cannon, who has advised several Republican presidential campaigns, including Arizona Sen. John McCain's two efforts.
That is not stopping some among the 2012 crowd from flashing signs of interest in another run at the White House.
As he made the rounds here, Texas Gov. Rick Perry told NBC News that he would "absolutely" weigh another presidential bid.
So would former pizza executive Herman Cain, who also hopped among events and interviews here this week. "The biological clock is ticking," said his top adviser, Mark Block, "but he's certainly not shutting the door on it."
Write to Neil King Jr. at [email protected]