The Occasional Observer

Senator Brownback, the most trusted SoCon and Pro-Life voice in the Senate (and former Presidential candidate), has made his choice. Keep in mind that last week, Hizzoner's supporters were telling us a Brownback-endorses-Rudy story was imminent, and that it was the crowning SoCon endorsement available:

Brownback’s advisers...predicted that he would make an endorsement within the next few weeks. It would be a huge boon to any candidate because of the impressive ground operation Brownback has built up in Iowa, site of the first contest of the presidential primary...

One Brownback adviser said that 45,000 Iowans had signed up as campaign supporters.

Giuliani would gain the most from Brownback’s endorsement because he has consistently encountered opposition from social conservatives owing to his views on abortion.

(My emphasis). Note here that this is the opposite of what happened with the Robertson endorsement, where Pat specifically said he's endorsing Rudy for Nat'l Security and Fiscal reasons, and stayed realtively mum on social issues other than to imply Rudy would nominate good judges. (I'm skeptical). More from The Hill:

Brownback’s support, however, could assuage the concerns of many social conservatives and provide him a path to the Republican nomination.

“It would be absolutely huge,” said Ross K. Baker, a professor of political science at Rutgers University. “It would mean that Giuliani is getting support form a part of the Republican Party that has been hostile to him.
“Brownback is very well-respected,” Baker added. “It would give a lot of social conservatives and evangelicals cover if they want to support Giuliani.”

Karlyn Bowman, a scholar who specializes in public opinion and politics at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, said a Brownback endorsement would help Giuliani enormously.

“If true, that would be an enormous coup for Giuliani, especially given what we’ve heard about Brownback’s organization in Iowa,” she said.

So the B'Back endorses Rudy line had some momentum. The momentum picked up speed when it was reported the two had a meeting and B'Back was seriously considering it.

Finally, National Right to Life seemed to clear the way for a Brownback endorsement, with timing suspiciously near the Rudy/Brownback meeting. Influential Rudy supporters were ripe with anticipation for what they thought would be a "huge" endorsement.

So after all the hype, who did Brownback, a respected an influential SoCon voice (unlike Robertson), actually endorse?

Senator John McCain.