On one side we have the social conservatives with Huckabee, and on the other we have the WOT conservatives with Rudy.
It will also be interesting to watch any Florida polls coming out. If Huckabee continues to surge their, it may be over for the other 2nd place candidates. Rudy must also either win, or be extremely competitive for his dominance to continue. I give him a little more breathing room only because in the big States of Super Tuesday he has such huge margins over the others, and that is where the majority of his delegates are coming from.
I have been predicting a Rudy vs Mitt race for awhile, but I may be changing my mind. Those early primaries are becoming more and more important (who said Iowa and NH no longer matter), if the momentum of Huck overtakes Mitt, he will be strong. And we MUST take into consideration the perception that Southern Governors are the most electable.
While the fiscal and leave-me-the-hell-alone conservatives sit on the sidelines wishing Fred were at the top...
the first state that "matters" in the GOP nomination is SC...quickly followed by Super-duper Tuesday.
“It will also be interesting to watch any Florida polls coming out. If Huckabee continues to surge there, it may be over for the other 2nd place candidates.”
Florida Nov. 27 poll
Giuliani 26 (-7 since 10/19 poll)
Huckabee 17 (+9)
McCain 13 (+4)
Romney 12 (-5)
Thompson 9 (-4)
Paul 3 (na)
http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2007/11/new_ia_gop_poll_for_florida.html
What I find fascinating is we basically have a “battle Royale” between two of the strongest bases in the Republican Party.
On one side we have the social conservatives with Huckabee, and on the other we have the WOT conservatives with Rudy.
The problem is-the Huckster isn’t a conservative. Tax lover, plus a firm believer in big government can solve all problems/the nanny state. That way lies socialism. It’s Hunter or Thompson for me.