Posted on 09/28/2015 6:27:02 PM PDT by Citizen Zed
First, there are the GOP’s “True Believers,” to use Eric Hoffer’s term. Among the four categories of voters, the True Believers in 2016 have already picked a candidate and are sticking to him come hell or high water—at least unless and until he drops out or wins. It’s clear that the True Believers are lining up primarily behind Dr. Ben Carson, Sen. Ted Cruz, Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. Rick Santorum or Donald Trump.
The second category of GOP voters are the “Buckley Voters,” so-called because they tend to follow the “Buckley Rule” and support the most conservative candidate they see as plausibly winning the presidency in the fall of next year. That distinction between supporting a plausible winner, as opposed to a favorite long-shot, is an important consideration, not to be lost amid the fervor of a primary campaign. Walker and Perry supporters hailed primarily from these “Buckley Voters.”
That third category of voters are what I call “center-right governing conservatives.” No, they’re not the dreaded “D.C. establishment,” but are instead Republican primary voters who live in blue states or those who serve in state or local party or government organizations. They think themselves more realistic about what can and cannot be done by government; they want desperately to end the immigration wars; or maybe they just want to get legislation passed by assembling coalitions in D.C. that include some Democrats.
The fourth group of voters are what I call “Uniques.” They are in this election to support a candidate for a unique reason or because of that candidate’s specific platform. Senator Paul draws heavily on the Uniques, as does Lindsey Graham, though they appeal to completely separate groups.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
The size of the conservative non-voting faction might come as more of a surprise to a few.
First there is the largest group which actually believes the Party Platform, in fact their representatives in the grassroots are the ones who write it. They are pro-life and pro-business and want a smaller government that leaves them the hell alone.
Then there is the smaller group which consider themselves "economic" conservatives who think that the Republican party would be best served if it did not cater to all that "social" stuff.
And then there is the vastly infinitesimal group called the "GOPe" who tend to congregate at the seat of power and wheedle their way into positions of king-making and democrat kiss-@$$ing.
Hewitt is clueless.
Guess I’m a “Buckley Voter”.
NOTHING is beneath ANY Democrat. Sadly, the same holds true of today’s Republicans, with a few exceptions.
“I do not get the Buckley Voters theory if that means Walker and Perry who are both gone. How in the world were they the “can win” candidates?”
The author meant that voters thought that they were conservative and could win the general. Of course, you’re correct that if they couldn’t campaign effectively enough to be in the running for the nomination would not be a good sign that they would campaign effectively in the general.
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