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.
This FredHead is voting for Mitt Romney. My reasons: (Revised Again)
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 the New York Times, McCain was.
Mitt was NOT endorsed by Mel Martinez, but McCain was.
Mitt could defeat Hillary OR Obama!
From Wiki:
"He ran for President of the United States in 1996, 2000, and 2008 and for the U.S. Senate in 1988, 1992, and 2004 as a Republican. He is currently an announced candidate in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election."
Enough, already.
And Clinton to give us the House in 94.
I truly hope and pray that all of the Fred-Heads vote for Romney, McCain must be stopped!
Tricky Willard
Tricky Johnny
Tricky Mikey
Tricky Rooty
Not a conservative in the bunch!
I expect that Mrs. Bill is more likely to take the War seriously and actually fight it. It will take a couple of nuked American cities but she will suddenly click into the Woman Scorned mode as she realizes that her very closest allies, the Iranians and the Jihadists in general, have Betrayed her. A squeamish Republican liberal will make “measured” responses to Islamic attacks, even to a nuked city, and will be opposed by a majority Democrat Congress that believes America deserves to die because it has a Republican president.
If McCain has waned on the gun issue then he will go over to the other side entirely once he is elected.
Sure Fred is a professional politician, but he’s also a voter. I don’t think he’ll shirk his duty in that regard.
I don't award points to any of the candidates merely because of what they say. McCain and Huckabee both have strengths that they've proven through actions -- McCain on the WOT and Huckabee on the 2A and social issues. Obviously their list weaknesses runs a mile long. But the same holds true for Rudy and Romney -- strengths and weaknesses, all. Statists (to some degree at least), all. And the vast majority of voters will be issue prioritizing, not viewing the situation from vantage point of ideological purity.
GOP voters will be looking at a "lesser of two evils" scenario no matter which of the current RINO candidates wins the nomination. ....just like they have in every election from '88 to the present. Every single one of those elections was a compromise.
Once again - I will never, ever, ever vote for Mike Huckabee for anything, period.
I am (or was - whatever) a staunch FDT guy and backing Mike Huckabee would be such a severe compromise of my principals that I would feel dirty for the rest of my born days.
For the record - my disdain for Mike is not because I was and FDT guy - my disdain for MH is because he lacks character (yes, I said Pastor Mikey lacks character) and governs as a liberal.
“If McCain has waned on the gun issue then he will go over to the other side entirely once he is elected.”
Perhaps but Mutt and Rooty are already ON the other side!
The Arkansas liberal. No thanks.
Tennessee Nana the dope.
We are all suffering from electile dysfunction. “A complete lack of enthusiasm for any and all candidates.”
Yep; I’m going with Huckabee. I was leaning that way and Duncan Hunter’s endorsement pushed me over the line.
OMG, did you make that up???? Priceless...
In the actual election campaign the Republican, assuming it is one of these guys is going to have to be very convincing and will have to tack right instead of the leftward tack that is expected of Republican nominees or Mrs. Clinton is going to have to get really overt in her Marxism for me to vote the top of the ticket.
Tennessee Nana the dope
_____________________________________________________
Hmmm well
Jesus uses the foolish things of this world to confound the so call “wise”
:)
As far as SCOTUS appointments, as you said any of them will be better than what we get from Hillary or Barack (I think Hillary has already promised to nominate a strongly pro choice justice). And when Ted Olsen got behind Rudy, that really eased my mind. In fact I hope that Ted is Rudys first appointment!
I originally had McCain as my number 2 based on WOT, and electability, but after last night I am rethinking that. I was so unimpressed with him it wasn't funny.
And as for Mitt, I just can't stand a pandering politician. Always saying exactly what his audience wants him to say, and you can tell! I thought he did a fantastic job last night, but I am not sure if it was enough for me. Thankfully I have a full month to decide, and to see how the earlier states pan out.
The only one for sure I know I could never vote for in the primary is Huck. WMD in Jordan, give me a break!
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