Posted on 02/08/2007 1:49:38 PM PST by GulfBreeze
California Congressman Duncan Hunter announced in October that he would be seeking the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. He recently made his candidacy official. Now in his 14th term in the House, Hunter's district includes portions of San Diego. From 2003 through 2006, he was chairman of the powerful House Armed Services Committee, a role he had to relinquish in January due to the Democratic takeover of the House.
Hunter prides himself on being in the mold and tradition of Ronald Reagan, who was first elected President the same year Hunter was first elected to Congress. Although many believe he came in on Reagan's coattails (pulling an upset victory over an incumbent Democrat by a narrow margin), he has won reelection by wide margins ever since. In addition, he continues to be popular with ''Reagan Democrats," consistently getting over 70% of the total Democratic vote.
Hunter is a socially conservative Baptist who is very popular with evangelicals and the far right. He strongly opposes abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and gay marriage. In addition, he favors a crackdown on illegal immigration and the construction of a fence along the entire border between the U.S. and Mexico. In spite of this, he usually draws around 60% of the Hispanic vote in his district. His continued unwavering support of the war in Iraq also makes him popular with neoconservatives.
He will likely have to compete with Mitt Romney, Sam Brownback, Mike Huckabee, and Tom Tancredo for social conservative votes in the primaries. In order to be successful, he will need to convince voters in Iowa and New Hampshire that he is the most genuine and most viable social conservative in the race. So far, he is the only Republican candidate who has purchased TV time in New Hampshire. This is obviously an attempt to build up some early name recognition, of which he currently has little or none.
Although a tremendous long-shot, there is a scenario in which he could conceivably win the nomination. He would first have to come out of Iowa and New Hampshire as the leading or possibly only social conservative still in the race. At a minimum, he would need to put Huckabee away in those two early states. Otherwise, the former Arkansas Governor would likely lock him out of the southern conservative vote, effectively ending his candidacy when the southern block of primaries is held. However, with Huckabee gone and Hunter the top social conservative contender remaining in the pack, he would be poised to perform well in the South, as well as his native West. Winning the South is obviously part of Hunter's required scenario for capturing the nomination. It was no accident that he made his official announcement in South Carolina.
Will not vote for: Guiliani, McCain, or Romney.
Sorry man. I'm tired of liberal republicans. Guiliani or McCain, IMO, won't be much different than Queen Hillary. At least the GOP would fight Hillary.
If I wanted a liberal, I would vote Democrat.
If that was the only bill that he could get passed, no.
If abortion is murder, does it matter in what way the pregnancy was caused?
It shouldn't, but the political reality is that it does, and we can't go from Roe v. Wade to forcing mothers to birth incestuous pregnancies.
I agree with you. But Reagan liberalized California's abortion laws before Roe v. Wade - when it was not politically necessary to have exceptions. Does that not show poor character?
send this to whoever is filling in for Rush today. He is making me puke. "Rudy Rudy Rudy..."
The problem with the law Reagan signed was the "health" exception which led to abortion being legal on demand.
I understand. But excluding those candidates from consideration will not help our cause.
Sounds like you are counting on us losing in 2008. Sad.
If Rino Rudy is nominated the republicans will lose in 2008.
To make the national scene through media intentionally ignoring him, he will need to spend. So now is the time to send money.
Looking at Hunters resume, it makes all the opthers except possibly Newt, look quite pale, but Newt can't match Duncans military service.
We need a solid cadre of freepers behoind Duncan, early, there are so many fence sitters here .
I agree, Rudy is a loser.,/p.,p.I really hate how they have the primaries. A few states pick the front runners.
He will crater in the south.
Stay Home? Hardly. I 'd vote stone cold Democrat all the way, if we have aoft Republican, moderate like a democrat,sausage suckin RINO.
Let the country BE polarized, so we can get some conservatives in the front line of the Republican party again. and if that takes 4 years of Hillary Clinton, so be it.
Big Time! He won't even be on the radar. His credentials, mayor of NY and cleaning up NY. Big deal. Gun control will be the big issue in the South.
"None of those candidates are as "electable" as you think because the base won't turn out for another pack of lies."
Maybe you are right. Maybe "the base" is not reflected at all, in any of the recent polls. Although it is more likely they ARE included proportionately, along with the other subgoups.
Or just possibly "the base" isn't as large, unified, influential as some might think.
If Hunter is going anywhere, he had better "get to gettin."
By entering so early, and then just staying flat in polls, he becomes stale merchandise. He has been in since October, yet remains at/under one percent.
Therefore, a stronger showing is likely by the "true conservative" who enters say 9 months from now, with money and organization. Somebody like a Mike Pence, for instance.
It is likely that Newt is holding back from a decision/announcement to let one or more of the frontrunners stumble--and then come in later as the real conservative option.
There is plenty of time for me to calmly observe, refrain from strident bellowing. There is a shortage of the former, and an abundance of the latter.
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