[Beagle8U]

" win the big industrial states that have lots of electoral votes and went for Kerry: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Jersey, Wisconsin."

I wont speak for the other states but Rudy has no chance in Michigan. Its a strong pro-gun state and they vote based on that issue. Its also an anti-gay state that wants no part of gay rights of any kind or anyone promoting it.

We changed our state constitution to ban gay marriage, partnerships, anything resembling marriage, and any sort of partnership benefits.

We also banned affirmative action.

We passed a "shall issue" CCW law and a "Stand your ground" law to go with it.

The only way a Republican can win here is to be pro-gun and pro-life and pull some of the union votes on those issues.

[Northeastern_Realist]

Do you think they'll vote for Hillary instead?

[RepublicanPOTUSin08]

I actually lived in Michigan for a number of years. I don't disagree that the people of the state are traditional, but I also don't remember them electing Santorum-style Republicans, which is the way your post seems to read. The average elected Republican in Michigan was more like Gov. Engler, a pro-business fiscal conservative who was also pro-life, pro-gun, etc, but never really talked about it much, just signed all the right laws.

If Rudy promises no new federal gun laws and conservative judges, and runs on fiscal issues and foreign policy, he seems an awfully lot like the type of Republican who wins in Michigan to me.