1. In my First Things column, I suggested that conservatives invest way too many resources in Republican presidential primary contests.

2. Fiorina is going to replace Trump as the outsider candidate after Trump collapses. That day is coming. I suspect she would have ripped Trump to shreds if she had been in the second debate. Trump needs to be thinking how he deals with her in a way that leaves his reputation intact.

3. It is a something of a miracle that Santorum was ever a force in presidential politics. He is authentically and unmanipulatively socially conservative, and he takes a sustained interest in the economic prospects of people in the lower half of the income distribution. That is enough to keep him in the game despite being, after Jim Gilmore, the least talented speaker in the race.

4. Lindsey Graham has no hope of being elected president, but he is serious about pushing his particular vision of how to defeat ISIS. I can respect Graham. Gilmore and Pataki are just wasting everybody’s time. They have no chance of winning and they contribute nothing distinctive to the debate.

5. Perry and Jindal were fine, but they faded into the background. Perry should get a chance to be a player based on his performance as Texas governor.

6. I took my older daughter to a baseball game, and missed the first half of the varsity debate. I will post my thoughts (such as they are) when I’ve seen the whole thing.