With Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger set to endorse Sen. John McCain Thursday in Los Angeles, and with the boost of a powerful new endorsement from Rudy Giuliani, the Arizona senator built up a head of steam going into Tuesday’s primary in California - a turn of events more than evident Wednesday at the Reagan Presidential Library reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

McCain sat on the stage with three other Republican presidential candidates in the last televised debate before the 22 Super Tuesday primaries. Appearing confident and in command, McCain battled with his chief competitor, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, repeatedly suggesting that as a “foot soldier” in the army of Ronald Reagan, he was the most qualified and ready to assume the former president’s mantle.

McCain and Romney sparred on issues ranging from housing and economics to the war in Iraq during the CNN debate, sniping at each other as they were joined by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who insisted he is staying in the race despite a fourth-place finish in the Florida primary this week, and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who was given minimal time and was routinely cut off.

Though he was not in the crowd of candidates on the Reagan Library stage, former New York Mayor Giuliani, once considered the party’s front-runner, had a clear impact on the event: He had announced his withdrawal from the race just minutes before the debate and had thrown his support to McCain.

Giuliani said that he would campaign for McCain, whom he called “an American hero … and a man of honor and integrity - and you can underline both.”

Read it here: McCain hits Paydirt in Golden State