Posted on 01/25/2008 10:02:32 AM PST by BplusK
With Thompson dropping out of the presidential race, his conservative supporters are wondering who to support now. He has not yet endorsed one of the remaining candidates. There are four viable Republican candidates left; Huckabee, Romney, McCain and Giuliani. Giuliani is unacceptable to the kind of conservative who was supporting Thompson, because of his liberal social views and reputation as a moderate. He has yet to win a primary and may drop out of the race if he doesn’t win Florida. McCain and Romney are currently tied for the lead in Florida polls.
McCain is leading national polls, but Huckabee and Romney have more delegates than he does so far, which is what will ultimately determine the primary outcome. Huckabee is expected to do well on Super Tuesday, February 5, when 21 states, including quite a few southern states, will be holding their primaries. Many of those primaries are closed, so Independents won’t be able to vote in the Republican primary, which had helped McCain.
Although not quite as liberal as Giuliani, Huckabee, Romney and McCain have problems with their records which have made conservatives hesitant to support them. Rush Limbaugh said yesterday this may be the first election he doesn’t support a Republican.
Huckabee’s record on fiscal issues is troubling. However, his record on social issues is outstanding and he is to be admired for not hiding the fact he’s a Christian. Compare this with John McCain, who not only has a poor record on fiscal issues such as tax cuts, but also has a poor record on social issues, receiving only a 65 rating in the most recent rating from the American Conservative Union, lower than even Nebraska’s Senator Chuck Hagel who received a 75. He's also referred to conservative Christian leaders who didn't support him as "agents of intolerance," comparing them to Louis Farrakhan. National talk radio hosts like Limbaugh and Sean Hannity can’t stand McCain, and columnist George Will recently said he’s no maverick, he’s really just a Democrat. McCain received a 75 rating from National Right to Life, and Brent Bozell reported yesterday that McCain aides whispered to reporters that he wasn’t really that opposed to abortion and would come around on gay rights. McCain is disliked by the Republican party base and conservatives in Arizona, who consistently rate him as the most unacceptable candidate for president. Last year the chairman of the Maricopa County GOP wore a sticker that said “McCain 2008” crossed out.
Romney claims to be a conservative now that he’s running for president, and to his credit, did make some changes his last year or so in office, such as signing a bill banning partial-birth abortion. However, supporting Romney is a big gamble, since the pattern is that most candidates tend to run conservative then become more liberal after they enter office.
Yesterday Duncan Hunter endorsed Huckabee. Hunter was one of the most solid conservatives in the race, so this endorsement should not be taken lightly. Even libertarian Neil Boortz appears to be supporting Huckabee, because of his Fair Tax plan which would eliminate the IRS. At this point, Huckabee is looking like the best remaining viable candidate for conservatives to support.
I'm sizing up the Constitution Party.
I really won't vote for either of those Liberals in GOP clothing. Never again will I vote for the lesser of two evils. Look where that got us!!
Uh, no. Nor did I say there were. I wasn't endorsing him; I was merely pointing out his strong points. All the candidates have both weak and strong points -- none of them are conservative straight down the line. So choosing one depends on which issues one gives the most importance. I was pretty clear about that.
A dirt nap.
I voted by mail monday(Thompson)and will do so again in general. Write ins count.
The Republician Party of Florida has been calling for months for me to re-up. Today,I advised them politly that I was a CONSERVATIVE and would no longer be affiliated with or have anything to do with the present day Republican Party(National or State wise). FREDHEAD forever!!!
Mitt.
From their website:
THE CONSTITUTION PARTY 2008 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING CONVENTION WILL BE HELD APRIL 23-26 AT THE KANSAS CITY MARRIOTT HOTEL DOWNTOWN, 200 WEST 12TH STREET, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.
Uh, no. Choosing doesn’t depend on prioritizing issues. My point is that particular issue positions don’t much matter except to the extent that they reveal a candidate’s fundamental philosophy, which does.
Huckabee (in common with McCain) couldn’t have a more pernicious fundamental philosophy. They are both doctrinaire statists. Romney doesn’t have any philosophy at all (apart from self-worship) and Giuliani is badly confused. That is the reality we have to deal with and it doesn’t have anything to do with weighing strengths and weaknesses by reference to a laundry list of issues.
Weighing strengths and weakness is the only option if one plans on voting for one of the remaining GOP candidates, since none of them are true conservatives. But if one plans on staying home or writing in Hunter or Thompson (or George Washington or Ronald Reagan) then obviously prioritizing doesn’t mean squat.
I am thinking in the same vein. We are going to lose in November unless maybe it is McCain. He’ll get the Anti Hillary vote from both parties IMHO.
Either way, we lose...
“If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice...”
Rush (the band), Freewill.
I am starting to take some solace in those words.
Not for me! This FredHead is voting for Mitt Romney. My reasons:
I see Mitt as the next best choice.
Mitt is the one who can stop McCain here in Florida.
Mitt is strong on illegal immigration.
Mitt is strong on lowering taxes.
Mitt is disliked by the MSM media.
Mitt could defeat Hillary or Obama!
Not for me! This FredHead is voting for Mitt Romney. My reasons: (Revised)
I see Mitt as the next best choice.
Mitt is the one who can stop McCain here in Florida.
Mitt is strong on illegal immigration.
Mitt is strong on lowering taxes.
Mitt is disliked by the MSM media.
Mitt was NOT endorsed by Mel Martinez, but McCain was.
Mitt could defeat Hillary or Obama!
Good for you!
LOL! Huckabee is probably the worst of the bunch. Even Giuliani governed more conservatively than Huckabee.
Alan Keyesl. The only conservative left.
It may be possible to defend Romney or Giuliani as acceptable, though imperfect candidates. You can’t do that, however by plotting their positions on a multi-variable issue matrix. That gets you nowhere.
Unfortunately if we give on the Islamic War we will be soon defending or ceding ground in North America or deciding to give that up, too.
We had one of these guys in 1968 and got price controls and a Gas Crisis out of it.
Bull..........I will not vote for Huckabee. Duncan Hunter is nuts to promote him and I will not follow his advice.
the GOP is worthless..........all RINOs as far as the eye can see.
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