I don't think Rudy's the magic candidate you think he is. While he may gain votes in a few of the more moderate red states, he'll lose votes among the #1 GOP voting bloc in a big chunk of the country....southern/midwestern Christians.....due to his moral shortcomings, among other stances on important issues. He's ruled a liberal enclave and has had to say things and take stances during that rule that can and will beused against him in the fall. If anything sinks him, that's it.
Read another way, I don't think he "gets out" the conservative Christian vote.....and he'd needs to do that to win just the primary, let alone the general.
I actually can't wait until the real campaigning starts in the fall. All these fundraising speeches drive me nuts. I want debates.
"While he may gain votes in a few of the more moderate red states, he'll lose votes among the #1 GOP voting bloc in a big chunk of the country....southern/midwestern Christians.....due to his moral shortcomings, among other stances on important issues."
If you think the South would elect Hillary over Rudy, you're dreaming. Rudy is polling well everywhere--especially in the South, the Northeast, the mid-Atlantic, and the West Coast. My own blue state, PA, has Rudy in a significant lead over Hillary--and this is not likely to change since both candidates are already so well known. Besides, most Christian voters have become astute politicians--realistic enough to realize that to avoid disaster in '08 we need to field a very powerful candidate.
"While he may gain votes in a few of the more moderate red states, he'll lose votes among the #1 GOP voting bloc in a big chunk of the country....southern/midwestern Christians.....due to his moral shortcomings, among other stances on important issues."
If you think the South would elect Hillary over Rudy, you're dreaming. Rudy is polling well everywhere--especially in the South, the Northeast, the mid-Atlantic, and the West Coast. My own blue state, PA, has Rudy in a significant lead over Hillary--and this is not likely to change since both candidates are already so well known. Besides, most Christian voters have become astute politicians--realistic enough to realize that to avoid disaster in '08 we need to field a very powerful candidate.