Posted on 06/29/2011 10:23:37 PM PDT by no dems
Republican political professionals says the GOP race has suddenly settled into a contest among Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann and, potentially, Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
A few weeks ago, the race for the Republican presidential nomination was a jumble of candidates, none of whom seemed to be winning the party's hearts or minds: Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich. For a moment, some GOP voters even pinned their hopes on pizza magnate Herman Cain, mostly because he didn't sound — or look — like the others.
But now, if you talk with Republican political professionals, the GOP race has suddenly settled into a contest among only two or three potential nominees.
There's Romney, still the front-runner, stolidly running a cautious and conventional campaign.
There's Michele Bachmann, the "tea party" insurgent, who jumped into the first tier with a crisp performance at the June 13 debate in New Hampshire.
And waiting in the wings, there's Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, who is considering a run for the White House.
All the other possibilities have been eclipsed, the GOP pros say. Pawlenty, the former governor of Minnesota who was once seen as a strong candidate, has lost ground by appearing uncertain about his own economic policies and how tough he wanted to be in his critique of Romney. Jon Huntsman, the former governor of Utah, is trying to win the nomination as a moderate and is openly courting non-Republican independents, a strategy the pros think is doomed. Gingrich couldn't even get his campaign staff to follow him. Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska, has convinced political strategists (and many voters) that she's not serious about running.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Darn, I was hoping it would go on a little longer.
Wrong again, Leftist wookies, Palin will be the nominee.
Rick Santorum should rise to the top, he is the most electable, and most honorable among those with enough experience.
,. but y'know ... the LATimes isn't even on my list for compost or kindlin', let alone political advice.
36 words when I could'a just said ... gfy.
Blow it out your a$$ Doyle. All your info is coming from the echo chamber of the elitists. Your article was mindless and cliched.
BTW Doyle. Why not give us some names of these insiders or were they just fictitious props to float out your worthless speculation?
So, the Guy who lost his last race for a Senate seat in PA is the best option? If that is the case we are screwed.
Santorum lost that race because running as a solid Conservative in this state is eventually going to get you thrown out. Terry Schiavo hurt him in the burbs. The other factor was that we had a total loser dragging down GOP enthusiasm running for Gov, Lynn Swann. A real stiff.
Santorums Conservative credentials are impeccable. His real problem is name recognition. No one outside of PA ever heard of the guy. He would make a fantastic President.
I would like to see Santorum do well. He must be raising money, or saving money, because I have missed him making appearances outside of the debates, but it’s early and money raising time.
I would like to hear from Perry also, flaws and all, since I believe he is the only one that can take out Romney and level the playing field early on, in my humble opinion that is.
I like all our conservative candidates. A crop of good and decent people all around. In the end, experience should tell us that we have to get the Independents on board. It seems worth while to be keeping an eye on their preference numbers. Not much interest showing, yet. It will come.
Beating Obama is a must. We have to pick a winner no matter what.
Palin: “I told Bristol what we talk about on the fishing boat stays on the fishing boat.”
It looks like Sarah is keeping the State Owned Media and their political lap dogs very much clueless. Romney has screwed the pooch with his Romneycare. Bachmann may be a lightning rod to draw all the energy of the State Owned Media away from the other contenders. As the media goes into a feeding frenzy, Sarah will come out to defend her and rally the Tea Party behind her. That is because Sarah and Michelle are true friends who will give support to each other. If Perry does not man up and rise to the rescue of his country, we will have Sarah and Michelle who I believe are the true Dream Team.
Santorum was dead in the water as soon as he played footsie with Specter, for which we could’ve run his ass out 6 years ahead of time. Rick’s being in the tank for Slick Willard in ‘08 was yet another black mark and showed more poor judgment and capitulation/deference to the left. You’re the first to blame Lynn Swann on Santorum’s defeat when he had nothing to do with it. The alternative was Bill Scranton the Turd. Think he’d have ginned up Conservative turnout for a guy seen as a backstabbing weasel ?
I say, if its Romney, hell no!
Bachmann would be fine.
So far, Perry isn’t running.
Wrong on all 3 counts: Rick lost his Senate seat because he hurt himself by endorsing the absolutely despicable, Arlen Specter over the Conservative Pat Toomey in the GOP Primary in 2004. Many Conservatives in PA never forgave him and did not get excited about his campaign against the pro-life Bob Casey Jr. in 2006.
For the GOP, it's Romney, Bachmann and, maybe, PerryRick Perry was Al Gore's Texas campaign manager in 1988
There's just some idiocy that time can't erase and is inexcusable.
“All the other possibilities have been eclipsed, the GOP pros say.”
Wow - the “GOP pros” and the LA Times. Guess there’s nothing else to say then, right?
NOT.
“......convinced political strategists.......”
They are obviously reading the PDS posts on FR.
So you expect a Senator, with an upcoming election in a tough state, to tell the sitting President in his party to get bent when he is told to back Arlen? What alternate universe do you live in? Toomey backed Arlen after the Primary for crying out loud.
As for Swann, he was a disaster. While Santorum was out fighting in a really bad GOP year, he brought nothing to the table. A total dud. The reason Toomey got across the finish line this last go round is because Corbett was helping get Consrvatives to the polls. It matters who is getting elected with you in an election cycle.
“Beating Obama is a must. We have to pick a winner no matter what.”
Right you are, Rita. And Independents are a MUST for us to win.
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