Those who dont follow the party platform have no business running for the republican nomination.
Certainly a candidate that does not respect the sanctity of life should not have support among the CONSERVATIVE base of the GOP....nor should anyone who supported Clintons AWB. That rules out Rudy & Mitt - they each have many reasons I cannot support them as a GOP nominee - but those are two of the main issues I weigh a candidate by.
While Huckabee is great on life issues (putting aside his tax-n-spend policies from Arkansas), hes pushing for more nanny-state big-government and also a pro-SHamnesty candidate like McCain.
McCain also wanted Geneva Convention rights to terrorists and whines about how GITMO looks in the eyes of the world. Although I value military service in our next President, thats not an example of a leader that I am looking for. Nor is someone whos adopted the CUT & RUN, blame-America first policies of the DUmocrats...so I wont support Ron Paul, plus hes just too damn whiney.
With WOT issues, its as Tom Tancredo said in one of the debates: the next President needs to be someone that al queda ABSOLUTELY FEARS....that is why I support Duncan Hunter (and Tancredo as his running mate).
Thompson would be my 3rd choice, but I dont support his idea of aspirations of citizenship for those who have broken the law (also known as FELONS), his stance on McCain-Feingold, or his votes in favor of MOST FAVORED NATION trade status for communist countries (China & Vietnam).
See this thread for his stance on immigration.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1915177/posts