I could almost go along with the logic if he hadn't gone so liberal on the environmental issues.
The environmental stuff is nonenforceable, it's just red meat for the liberals, while he held the line on important stuff.
I think there's a big open opportunity for Republicans that we need to grab. Everybody's for conservation, clean water and air, ending our dependence on foreign oil, etc. Suburban voters and independents like being pro-environment, but are also reasonable. The Democrats are so far left on this though, that the center's wide open. We lose if the perception is that we're in the pocket of big oil.