A pattern of disappointment emerges in the Republican presidential primary

By Josh Lederman - 09/27/11 06:00 AM ET

It’s been the recurring theme in the race for the GOP presidential nomination: A candidate enters with a splash, then quickly fizzles, leaving Republicans clamoring for a new white knight to hurtle them into the White House.

It happened with former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. It happened with Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.). Now it’s happening with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is fending off freefall after a meteoric rise to frontrunner status.

A new round of calls for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to enter the race just months before Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses is feeding the narrative that Republicans are underwhelmed by their choices, although conservatives insist that the public complaints won’t hurt the eventual nominee’s chances to defeat President Obama.

While Obama is raising money in California and campaigning against GOP obstructionism in Congress, many Republicans are openly musing about if only Christie, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin or Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels would get in the race. Republicans in Florida bucked their party’s two front-runners on Saturday, with businessman Herman Cain, who polls nationally in the single digits, winning more votes than Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney combined.

“Everyone’s willing to settle for Mitt Romney, but nobody wants to settle for Mitt Romney,â€