( CNN ) -- With Rick Perry instantly assuming the top spot among candidates for the Republican presidential nomination , it is no surprise that nearly every other man and woman on stage with him at last night 's debate took aim . Citing his executive order mandating inoculations against a sexually transmitted disease that can lead to cervical cancer , Michele Bachmann expressed outrage that Perry , she said , had `` forced '' `` government injections '' of 12-year-old girls . Jon Huntsman archly claimed that Perry 's skepticism about a border fence was nothing short of `` treasonous . '' Ron Paul accused Perry , his fellow Texan , of raising his taxes , increasing the state 's debt , and expanding the state government 's workforce . The most extended critique of Perry , though , came right out of the gate , from Mitt Romney . Romney accused Perry of trying to scare senior citizens and ruin the Republican Party by calling Social Security unconstitutional , a Ponzi scheme and a failure . Of all the jabs at Perry last night , these mattered most . Social Security stands out as the most important topic generating substantive disagreement among the top Republican contenders . In a debate that vacillated between broad principles of national defense and the rule of law on the one hand , and small government initiatives conducted at the state and federal levels on the other , this particular exchange featured disagreements about one of the oldest , largest and most popular entitlement programs in the country . Just as important , the exchange between Romney and Perry over Social Security underscored their competing views about the meaning of limited government . In their first sentences about entitlement reform , these candidates stand together for reducing waste , slashing fraud and trimming the federal government . It is in the second and third sentences , though , that the differences become clearer . For Perry , power should devolve to the states , and the federal government should maintain operations over only those policy domains for which it has a clear constitutional responsibility . As he noted in his opening remarks last night , the very reason he wants to be president is to make Washington less consequential in the lives of Americans . When asked later about Social Security , Perry went out of his way to offer assurances that the benefits for current and near retirees would remain intact -- `` slam dunk , guaranteed , '' as he put it . But he persisted in characterizing the issue of Social Security reform primarily as one of increased state control . `` The issue is , are there ways to move the states into Social Security , for state employees or for retirees . '' Romney , by contrast , has proposed a variety of measures that in his view will shore up Social Security without either increasing taxes or reducing the federal government 's involvement . Though he did n't lay them out Monday night , the components of Romney 's plan include the raising of the retirement age , the creation of personal retirement investment accounts for younger workers , and the indexing of benefits to prices rather than wages , as is currently done . Between the two at last night 's debate , Perry was the clear audience favorite . But should Perry win the nomination , we can expect President Obama to pick up right where Romney left off on Social Security . On the other hand , if Romney can survive a Republican primary season in which the median voter is vastly more conservative than in the general election , then the terms of next year 's debate about Social Security will be vastly more conventional -- to the great relief of moderates and frustration of the tea party sponsors of last night 's debate . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of William Howell .
William Howell says front-runner Rick Perry was target for GOP candidates at debate . He says Mitt Romney turned focus to Social Security and Perry 's Ponzi scheme comment . He says Perry now says he 'd keep Social Security safe , then talks about moving it to states . Howell : Perry may be favored , but in general election Social Security stance would hurt him .