[fifedom]

Real conservatives are on a par with, or greater than, liberals in numbers -- the GOP should build on them, and then add the big tent:

OK, who was the 'real conservative' running this time? Perry? Gingrich? Cain?

All of them flamed out for their own problems, not because they were 'too conservative.' Santorum? Bachmann?

Sontorum is a social conservative but if you look at his voting record no way is he a true conservative. Bachmann has foot in mouth syndrome. If she had won the nomination we might have seen an Akin/Mourdock moment or two.

How about the upcoming crop?

Rubio? Jindal? Christie?

Maybe Jindal but Rubio is pushing his DREAM ACT, which is poison for me. After Christie's performances with Obama and Springsteen I think the guy is mentally unstable.

So the pickings are pretty slim for true conservatives but I am open if they step up to run.

[grey_whiskers]

Real conservatives are on a par with, or greater than, liberals in numbers -- the GOP should build on them, and then add the big tent:

OK, who was the 'real conservative' running this time? Perry? Gingrich? Cain?

Sorry, we're talking past each other. I meant numbers of constituents, not candidates.

The problem was a lot of constituents were waiting for Palin to declare, and withheld any one conservative from gaining critical mass; and, together with Gloria All-Red torpedoing Cain with a racist stereotypical attack of a sexist Black Man victimizing white women, you had Romney carpet-bombing his opponents with negative ads (just as his surrogates undermined Palin) and changing the primary rules (in Virginia, I think?) to exclude opponents: and ticking off the Paul supporters.

Each bit sapped a little support from his erstwhile base, which shaky enough to begin with, even without Romneycare, flip-flopping, and being Mormon.

Where are all the mushy-middle or Reagan democrats who were supposed to replace the religious right and prove them unnecessary?

Cheers!