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 doesnt 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 wont 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 doesnt support a Republican.
Huckabees 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 hes 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 Nebraskas 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 cant stand McCain, and columnist George Will recently said hes no maverick, hes 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 wasnt 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 hes 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.
Huckabee is a younger Jimmy Carter.
Mitt for me.
I was prepared to let Fred be Fred, but apparently the media narrative required Fred to be someone else. When I heard the focus group folks from SC after the debate say Fred was good but it was too late, I was befuddled. It’s not too late, you dopes, you haven’t voted yet!
Criminy spend 2h reading the position papers of the candidates and then go vote in the primary. I don’t need to shake these guys hands or see them eat a frickin BBQ sandwich to know the guy would make a good President.
Cripes.
I can wish that Hunter and Thompson had stayed in the race, but they didn’t. I can wish more Repubs had supported them, but they didn’t.
So, as always you choose from among the humans who are running, warts clay feet and all, choose the best man from among the men available, and expect to have to keep pushing every day he’s in office to keep him from giving away the store. You can’t wait for a hero to emerge, republics aren’t based on rule by heros, but rather rule by the rather ordinary folk who aspire to office, and hopefully well-supervised by their constituents. Thats us.
There is no magic formula.
For me, the best man remaining is Romney, but if you’re convinced its one of the others, I’ll not argue too much. They are all a mixed bag. I like Giuliani, but not for president, he’d make a superb UN ambassador. Bolton would be my preference at State, Petraus or Franks at Defense, and someone with a big firehose at CIA.
I’m voting for Mitt out of default. Anyone else and the President will be a write in.
Ron Paul.
I wouldn’t vote for Mitt Romney if you held a gun to my head.
I would never vote for MeCain, but I think I can hold my nose and vote for Mitt to beat Hillary or Obama.
“A REAL FRedHead would never go for RINO Romney”
Romney is a threat to the nation. That said, he’s probably the least of our worries compared to the rest of the field.
I believe the Republican Party has now fully abandoned its base - however third party candidates have no voice. Consequently, I will try to run the revolution, but inside the Republican party (somewhat as a ‘loyal opposition’).
I was a big Fred supporter. At this point I am very reluctantly switching to Mitt.
I have decided that if the party nominates McCain or Huck, I will be switching to Independent. That action (along with the myriad other slaps in the faces of conservatives that the GOP has countenanced over the past 4 years) would signal that the party is no longer a party that a conservative can, on principal, be associated with. I have come really close to switching a number of times in the past year and a half. McCain or Huck as the nominee will push me over the edge.
Best thing to do is vote for whoever can beat hildebest or obama.
None of the RHINOs(as bad as they are) come close to those two.
We need to keep clinton(bill) out of the WH as well as the muslim.
Then hope in 4 years a REAL candidate emerges.
My 2 cents
1. None
2. Of
3. The
4. Above
Ding Ding Ding. Give that man a prize! You nailed it!
I agree with your statement: “I was a big Fred supporter. At this point I am very reluctantly switching to Mitt.”
The two liberals, Giuliani and Romney, are definitely not gonna fly with serious conservatives. And McCain`s mavarick status leaves him out in the cold. Huckabee might be the least objectionable choice, but I doubt he can win.
Bottom line. None of these guys are conservative. The rightwing is left with moderate and liberal choices to lead the party, or some third party 1/2%er. Not a pleasant thought.
Mitt
RINOs never get succeeded by Conservatives, they get succeeded (or beaten) by Democrats almost 100% of the time. I’m talking about Chief Executives here.
The only person that is not part of the “Nanny State” would be Ron Paul
Yep, like the old saying goes, "wish Fred was still in on one hand and Mitt in the other and see which hand is holding more."
Not that I'm happy about that, but what can I do?
I’m voting for Fred on Tuesday. I’ll make a decision on the general much later.
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