Rudy Giuliani seems to have receded in recent weeks, seeing his national lead shrink and his push in New Hampshire stall. (Giuliani remains competitive in New Hampshire, however, where he is tied for second; in Michigan; and in Florida, where his lead seems just as durable as Romney’s lead in New Hampshire.) The most widely held explanation for Giuliani’s fade is that, as national security becomes less of a concern to primary voters, and as more and more stories reflecting badly on Giuliani’s personal judgment emerge, voters inclined to support Giuliani look for alternatives. Meanwhile, since Giuliani appears to be receding, voters who had backed Romney in order to stop Giuliani from becoming the nominee can turn to alternatives such as Huckabee in Iowa and McCain in New Hampshire. But there’s a new counterargument that says Giuliani remains a factor in the race and a top competitor for the Republican nod. Dick Morris had a version of this argument the other day. Here’s Patrick Ruffini’s take: