Daniels KO's Gingrich, repeats as champion in tepid-Romney-endorsement bout

— -- Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has held off challenger Newt Gingrich to defend his title as the least enthusiastic endorser of Mitt Romney. By a vote of 3,943 to 2,817, Ticket readers decided that Daniels' characterization of Romney as a ruthless campaigner who cannot relate to the nonrich was more tepid than Gingrich's praise of Romney as merely less awful for Republicans than "the most radical leftist president in history."

For those who have not followed the backhanded endorsement playoffs, former New York Gov. George Pataki won the original bracket of eight Republicans who in some way insulted Romney in the course of lending him their support.  Daniels unseated Pataki last week in a rout.

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