Between Sunday and Wednesday, Newt Gingrich went from leading Mitt Romney by 8 points to trailing Mitt Romney by 8 points in the Florida GOP primary polls. Thursday night’s debate in Jacksonville was Gingrich’s best opportunity–and most likely his only–ahead of Tuesday’s primary to reverse Romney’s momentum. But far from landing a knockout blow, it was Gingrich who was thrown back on his heels.

Romney got the better of Gingrich from the start when the two sparred over immigration. “Speaker Gingrich, you’ve suggested that self-deportation as advocated by Governor Romney is in your words, ‘An Obama level fantasy,'” CNN moderator Wolf Blitzer said. “Why?”