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Many major former Romney supporters not backing him this year?
Hot Air ^ | January 28, 2011 | Allahpundit

Posted on 01/28/2011 10:06:30 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Most them aren’t definite no’s, but even if they’re holding out for the time being merely to see who else jumps in, that’s … not encouraging. Some, like Judd Gregg, may end up endorsing him anyway but might want to see if Daniels (or Huntsman?) declares first. Others, like DeMint, who have embraced the tea party full-fold almost certainly aren’t going to endorse him unless the entire “true conservative” bench decides not to run. Either way … not encouraging.

My favorite part? Hot on the heels of a rumor that Mitt might skip Iowa, there’s now a rumor circulating that he’ll skip South Carolina too. That makes superficial sense since both are social-conservative strongholds, but have we learned nothing from the Giuliani catastrophe, my friends?

As much as anything else, it calls into question just how far ahead of the pack he is as the 2012 contenders emerge. Even as Romney tries to project inevitability by signing up top GOP money men in Washington and New York, the defections suggest he’s seen as far from a sure thing even among insiders. After all, if top Republicans were willing to commit to Romney four years ago when he was a lesser known commodity, why won’t they get on board now when he’s a household name in the political circles and clearly among the most formidable candidates for his party’s nomination?…

Romney’s top strategists in [South Carolina] – who also are DeMint advisers – indicated that they hadn’t heard from their 2008 candidate and were unlikely to get behind him this time…

Peter Brown, a top GOP donor in Columbia who also served on Romney’s state finance committee in 2008, explained why he was not committed again.

“The word on the street is that Romney will skip South Carolina,” Brown said. “Most conservatives believe we need a Jim DeMint-type, assuming Jim will not run for president, someone who really wants to push for a limited federal government – not a government that will grow more slowly.”

Another possibility: His former South Carolina team might be convinced that Romney not only can’t win the state, he can’t win in the south more broadly. Whether that’s because he’s suspect on abortion or because he’s from Massachusetts or because of his faith, I don’t know, but PPP’s polling of some southern states suggests he’s having difficulties throughout the region. And by “difficulties,” I don’t mean he’s in second behind Huckabee. I mean he’s in fourth, way, way out of the lead, with a favorable rating among Republicans between 50 and 60 percent. If this is all about RomneyCare, I’m not sure why the objections would be so much sharper regionally. Any theories, southern readers?


TOPICS: Iowa; Massachusetts; South Carolina; Campaign News; Parties; Polls; State and Local
KEYWORDS: 2012; allahpundit4romney; badgovromney; bigdigromney; cootiesromney; demint; herpesromney; huckabee; ia; infectiousromney; iowa; ma; palin; polls; poorgovromney; romney; romney4aig; romney4moretaxes; romney4obamacare; romney4tarp; romneycare; romneymarriage; sc; southcarolina
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To: americanophile

You are 100 percent right, I think. People still flock to liberals when we think they have been cured of their disease. They haven’t. They think the “right” liberal can solve the problems.


41 posted on 01/28/2011 11:20:19 PM PST by Theodore R. (Rush was right when he said America may survive Obama but not the Obama supporters.)
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To: RC one

Mcnutts making a BEELINE back to washington to vote yes on the bailout pissed off conservatives and in my mind did him in.


42 posted on 01/28/2011 11:22:49 PM PST by HANG THE EXPENSE (Life is tough.It's tougher when you're stupid.)
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To: americanophile
Don’t underestimate Romney, he can win without S. Carolina, and no matter what, don’t underestimate Obama. God help us, but he WILL be tough to beat.

Romney can't win spit!

How many millions of his own money did he waste last time around with the worst field of candidates I have ever seen and all he could pull off against the worst candidate ever in John McCain was a distant second?

You have to be kidding!
43 posted on 01/28/2011 11:22:52 PM PST by SoConPubbie
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To: One Name
He doesn’t look or talk southern, isn’t seen wearing anything but fancy clothes. That doesn’t play well with the working class.

With that, you run into what Democrats do. Look at Kerry and his "hunting" photo. Wearing flannel with a bright orange vest, hand wrapped around a shotgun barrel. Or Clinton when she's talking to a predominantly black group. It just seems like an overdose of being completely fake. Doesn't come off well for anybody.

44 posted on 01/28/2011 11:24:41 PM PST by wastedyears (It has nothing to do with safety, and everything to do with control.)
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To: One Name
Listen, I will vote for her in the General and, if she's the best candidate, in the primaries, I'll vote for her there too. As it stands now, I like her better than Romney or Huckabee but that's really not saying much. Voting for her will not even require any holding of the nose. My question to you though is this: will you vote for Romney if it comes to that? If you are like most conservatives, you won't. . That comes back to my point about the division in the Republican party and how it will affect our chances of taking the Whitehouse. I think we have a very strong chance of retaking the Senate but I'm not convinced that we will take the White house. I also think conservatives are seriously underestimating the ability of barack obama to pull votes in 2012. The one thing he does well is campaign and I think he can hold the center in a race against Sarah Palin. My biggest issue with Sarah palin, however, is probably that we are over investing ourselves in her. I also think that, due to her overexposure, the media has her dialed in and is ready to fire for effect the minute she announces that she's running. It's nothing personal mind you. I don't generally care for most candidates. I think I expect too much from them.
45 posted on 01/28/2011 11:35:32 PM PST by RC one (WHAT!!!!)
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To: HANG THE EXPENSE

Bush fatigue did him in as much as anything IMO. Obama, as you’ll recall, exploited that very well. Obama beat him. period.


46 posted on 01/28/2011 11:38:37 PM PST by RC one (WHAT!!!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
“Most conservatives believe we need a Jim DeMint-type, assuming Jim will not run for president, someone who really wants to push for a limited federal government – not a government that will grow more slowly.”

Will these "most" conservatives get their heads out of their butts in time to recognize that Sarah Palin is exactly that person?

47 posted on 01/28/2011 11:40:44 PM PST by upsdriver (to undo the damage the "intellectual elites" have done. . . . . Sarah Palin for President!)
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To: RC one

Bush did us no favors and that is for certain.We pissed him off raising hell against amnesty and what do you know right after that we(the republicans) starting losing everything.


48 posted on 01/28/2011 11:43:19 PM PST by HANG THE EXPENSE (Life is tough.It's tougher when you're stupid.)
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To: buccaneer81

OH....LOL.
I guess that beats all.


49 posted on 01/28/2011 11:45:08 PM PST by onyx (If you truly support Sarah Palin and want to be on her busy ping list, let me know!)
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To: SoConPubbie

Kooks seem to be right lately. Ya think?


50 posted on 01/28/2011 11:46:03 PM PST by screaminsunshine (Surfers Rule)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

romney can’t get nominated by the gop.


51 posted on 01/28/2011 11:46:40 PM PST by ckilmer (Phi)
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To: OddLane

Well, I refuse to vote for Romney and Huckabee would cause me untold grief. I don’t think it’ll come to that. TEA Party Republican like us, won’t sit by to permit a faux conservative to steal the nomination. Not this time. Our Republic is at stake.


52 posted on 01/28/2011 11:48:10 PM PST by onyx (If you truly support Sarah Palin and want to be on her busy ping list, let me know!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
It’s not up to me to determine who gets to stay here.

Me, either, but they need to be exposed.

53 posted on 01/28/2011 11:53:10 PM PST by buccaneer81 (ECOMCON)
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To: onyx

I might be delusional, but I’m not too worried about Romney and Huckabee this time around. I worry more about Rudy and Jeb.


54 posted on 01/28/2011 11:56:15 PM PST by The Cajun
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

SPITBALLS?!

(you know I had to go there)


55 posted on 01/28/2011 11:59:51 PM PST by Berlin_Freeper
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To: HANG THE EXPENSE

I think the majority of the Bush Fatigue Syndrome stemmed from the Iraq war. Regardless of whether you think it was a good move or a bad move, in the end, it didn’t help us politically. I don’t think the amnesty bill was as important in 2008 as it will be in 2012. Again, this is why I have been stressing that we have to win the Senate. We don’t have to win the Whitehouse. We don’t need to destroy Obama, fixing him in position will be sufficient (and potentially entertaining). That being said, I’m not terribly concerned about the Presidential election outcome but I am terribly concerned about the Senate election. I strongly believe we will, in fact, retake the Senate. As I said previously, I am unconvinced that we will win the Whitehouse. That battlefield doesn’t appear to be nearly as favorable.


56 posted on 01/29/2011 12:00:22 AM PST by RC one (WHAT!!!!)
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To: The Cajun

The public wants no more dynasties. Let RINO illegal lover Jeb throw away his money.


57 posted on 01/29/2011 12:00:22 AM PST by buccaneer81 (ECOMCON)
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To: SoConPubbie

................Do I dare mention that “The Donald” Trump may decide to jump into the fray!..

You can mention it all you want.

He’ll suffer a worse fate than Rudy.

He’ll be out after the first cut of Primary states.

THere’s nothing there from a conservative perspective.

He excites barely no one in the base.

That’s why he would probably be a media favorite and the progressive elite within the so-called GOP power structure...................

Rudy took himself out with his cancer problems ( or philendaring, or whatever, on a non working prostate)

Trump excites basically no-one. No-one in the know.

In 2008 the Rats were squeeking, squeaking for Hitlery, Hitlery; Hitlery, then slips in this no-nothing bozo Zer0 with Hope and Change! Well known Thighness is history

Trump! Everyone knows the name, from the Boardroom to the gutter slum. A media favorite.

The media forms the news cycle. Trump always sells himself to the media. A match made in heaven!

Don’t just count him out!


58 posted on 01/29/2011 12:00:31 AM PST by Noob1999 (Loose Lips Sink Ships)
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To: The Cajun

You just might be delusional...LOL. Rudy? Jeb as in Bush? I don’t think so.....


59 posted on 01/29/2011 12:01:26 AM PST by onyx (If you truly support Sarah Palin and want to be on her busy ping list, let me know!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“Ummm, maybe because most Southerners are conservative and he’s not? Just spitballing here.”

Your spitballing hit the target. Not just because most Southerners are conservative, though.

Most Southerners don’t like being conned. We’ve figured him out.

I think that sums it up.


60 posted on 01/29/2011 12:04:50 AM PST by dixiechick2000 ("First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." - Gandhi)
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