One sign that Ahnolt's campaign may be bleeding from within is his decision to back out of this week's debate between the replacement candidates. Not only is it a sign of weakness, but it is a tactical blunder as well: regardless of whether he is represented by an "empty chair", each of the other candidates has an incentive to bash him, and he won't be able to defend himself. It will also be an ideal time for Cruz Bustamante to smack questions by those who've been hinting that he has dual loyalties out of the ballpark.