Posted on 10/28/2011 2:00:15 PM PDT by Merciful_Friend
Those in the Republican establishment who believe that Mitt Romney is the most electable (in November 2012) candidate currently running for the GOP presidential nomination ought to consider the following scenario extremely carefully and seriously: Ron Paul, after losing the GOP nomination, decides to run as a third party candidate. Ron Paul has all the things necessary to do so: a committed base of supporters across the country, a decent amount of money and the ability to raise more, and a good beginning at national name and face recognition (thanks to what he's stirred up during the GOP contest). Plus, you can be sure that whatever he lacks in general name recognition will be amply supplied to him by those many in the media establishment eager to help Obama get reelected in whatever way possible.
With the utterly-unreliable-on-principle Mitt Romney as the GOP nominee, it is simply beyond question that many disgusted Tea Partiers and other outraged conservatives would vote for Ron Paul. I am very far from being a Ron Paulian myself, but even I would seriously consider voting for him in protest at the Republican party—for the second consecutive election—nominating someone who is not a genuine and reliable conservative. (And I'm a very mild-mannered and pragmatic individual, as my parole officer will happily attest.) I easily see Ron Paul getting votes in the 15% to 20% range in such a circumstance. The feeling among many erstwhile Republicans will be that it is better to tear the thing down and rebuild it then to have to tolerate slow-death with such a false standard-bearer as Romney. If the GOP wins the Senate and keeps the House—both of which they ought to be able to do—a second Obama term will be a different animal to the first.
But it's a pretty horrific thing to contemplate all the same. Indeed, it must not happen. Republicans can't control what Ron Paul does, but Republicans can avoid nominating Mitt Romney and thus providing Ron Paul, as an independent candidate, such a huge empty niche to fill. Nominate a strong conservative (albeit an imperfect one) and no one in his or her right mind will cast a protest vote for Ron Paul that reelects Barack Obama.
If Romney is the nominee, it takes Obamacare off the table. Romney can not attack the unpopular Obamacare because Romney operatives visited the White House a few times teaching Obama operatives about how to create mandated health care, without any limits on health insurance premiums.
In the guise of exploring GOP intolerance - they will conduct a scorched Earth campaign against Romney making him out to be an absolute loon and a kook for believing a second rate conman with rather wackadoo theology.
How did that Juan thingy work out last time?
He will tip toe around the fraud so not to upset him because of the office he holds.
What a horrible choice that would be....
Baraq
Mittens
Ronpaul
The MSM will indeed do what you described. But it’s also a distinct possibility that both scenarios will take place simultaneously.
It would be like NY23 all over again.
Paul starring as Doug Hoffman, co-starring O’Bama = Owens,
Mittens = Scazzafava
Paul keeps gaining while Mittens keeps slipping, until finally the weekend before election day, the establishment RINO Mittens endorses Baraq, and Baraq defeats Paul 266-263 with Mittens picking up the deciding 6 EVs from Utah.
It would be like NY23 all over again.
Paul starring as Doug Hoffman, co-starring O’Bama = Owens,
Mittens = Scazzafava
Paul keeps gaining while Mittens keeps slipping, until finally the weekend before election day, the establishment RINO Mittens endorses Baraq, and Baraq defeats Paul 266-263 with Mittens picking up the deciding 6 EVs from Utah.
I will vote for the Libertarian party if Willard is the Nominee.
He will cater to the political philosophy of the N.E. urban quadrant, only marginally different from the democrats.
The TEA Party folks will not vote for Ron Paul. There are other issues motivating The TEA Party folks than just the fiscal irresponsibility and socialism of Obama and his Democrats. As a conservative I will not vote for Mitt Romney, period! If Romney is nominated, I believe he will lose to Obama. The conservative minded people in the Republican Party have had enough of RINOS like Romney and McCain. If it's to be Obama again or a statist RINO collaborator like Romney, then let it be Obama. I won't be voting for either of them. I pray that the nation can survive another four years of Democrat Party communism lite.
He doesn’t have to worry about losing to Obama. The Hermanator will take care of that.
I doubt that Ron Paul will run as a third party candidate unless he thought that party had a chance of displacing the GOP down the road. The likelihood is that the current campaign is being waged to build the libertarian Republican movement. The torch will be passed to Rand Paul after this election.
I still have memories of Romney`s senate campaign. If Ted Kennedy, fer Pete`s sake, could whup his butt in a debate, Romney hasn`t got a chance against Obama. Obama can fake sincerity a lot better than Romney, who comes off as an increbile phony in the public appearances I`ve seen. After seeing Romney over the years, I simply don`t believe a word he says.
I still have memories of Romney`s senate campaign. If Ted Kennedy, fer Pete`s sake, could whup his butt in a debate, Romney hasn`t got a chance against Obama. Obama can fake sincerity a lot better than Romney, who comes off as an increbile phony in the public appearances I`ve seen. After seeing Romney over the years, I simply don`t believe a word he says.
Precisely.
I will vote for somebody who is not Romney or the kenyan.
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