[Dead Dog]

The thing about hunter is he would energize the conservative base, and bring in the blue collar democrats. That would leave Obama-Clinton with the NPR vote.

[Antoninus]

The thing about hunter is he would energize the conservative base, and bring in the blue collar democrats. That would leave Obama-Clinton with the NPR vote.

I think you've hit upon why the media tries to ignore him and promotes a sure loser like Rudy instead.

[mjolnir]

Hunter's protectionist agenda will definitely bring in blue collar Democrats, but that doesn't make his protectionism a good thing.

I think conservatives make a mistake to identify conservatism with Hunter. As far as I can tell, Hunter is conservative on some issues, on others not, as one would expect. Of course, some would consider voting against NAFTA and even voting for the ruinous Sarbanes-Oxley to be conservative, but I can't. I know some believe he's so great on the WOT that this sort of thing doesn't matter, but aside from McCain (who seems to think foreign terrorists have rights under the Constitution) the other candidates are also solid on it.

The Club for Growth is pretty much my standard on economics for candidates, and they aren't too impressed with Hunter: (http://www.clubforgrowth.org/2006/10/duncan_hunters_voting_record.php):

Since Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) is apparently going to explore the possibility of running for president in 2008, I thought I'd dig up some of his roll call votes. Like most Republicans, he's strong on tax cuts, but he's been part of the big government spending spree of the last 6 years. He also has a protectionist streak in him. Here are some of the more troubling votes:

NO on NAFTA
YES on No Child Left Behind

YES on Sarbanes-Oxley

YES on the 2003 Medicare Drug Benefit

NO on CAFTA

YES on 2005 Highway Bill

YES on the 527 bill (like most Republicans, he flip-flopped, having first voted NO on McCain-Feingold)

Hunter also went 0 for 19 on the Flake anti-pork amendments.

Despite being a member of the Republican Study Committee, Hunter frequently votes NO on their fiscally conservative annual budgets (2006, 2005, 2003...)

We gave him a 49% on the 2005 Club for Growth scorecard. That places him 187th within the House GOP conference, out of roughly 230 members.

National Taxpayers Union shows a more telling trend. He was strong in the early 1990s, getting "B's" and one "A", but as time went by, like most politicians, his score dropped. For the past few years, he's been getting "C's".

[darth]

Bingo! Even though I am a free trade supporter, I can see that Hunter's stances on trade and immigration could bring some union members, latinos, and blacks over to the Republican column. Free trade and illegal immigration HURT low income workers, union members, latinos, and black more than the rest of the electorate. I will ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT HUNTER IF HE CAN WIN WITH THESE ISSUES even when I disagree with him. I am willing to compromise in order to have a conservative Republican president.