And out of the Republican candidated Fred is the only one that would theoretically carry the torch so to speak from Reagan’s legacy. I would throw Duncan Hunter in there but at the debates he doesn’t come across as a leader at all. Poor speaker and if we learned anything is you need someone that can speak well and not always be on defense the way GWB has been the last 8 years.
I never associated Thompson with anything especially conservative. Helms, Coburn, Sessions, Wallop, Ashcroft are all senators that come to mind.