~”Evangelicals are still focusing on his liberal record.”~
If that’s true, then why are Evangelicals flocking to Huckabee (from Thompson, mostly) in droves? You say they are avoiding Mitt because of his liberal record, so what is so attractive to them about Huckabee? Anybody but a Mormon seems to be their clarion call - even if that anybody is a fiscally liberal, socially mixed nanny-stater like Huckabee.
If Huckabee wins IA because of this Evangelical myopia, then they’ll deserve exactly what they get.
If the evangelicals in IA were serious about supporting a conservative, then Hunter would be tied with Romney, not Huckabee.
tant (nice to see you around),
you wrote... “Anybody but a Mormon seems to be their clarion call - even if that anybody is a fiscally liberal, socially mixed nanny-stater like Huckabee”
I don’t think it is that clear cut to voters.
Sure, they are conservative. They also are trying to figure
out how to make their vote count. There are no Ronald Reagans
to vote for.
That leaves them voting for something less... and weighing
how to cast their vote to get the most similarity to their
values with the flawed choices available.
Romney is not perceived as conservative and has the added
issue of a Christian voter dealing with their feelings about
his mormonism and his recent conversion to some conservative
issues. And many have said he measures his words and they
do not know if he is authentic.
Huck clearly has a history of being pro life. He too is flawed,
but he is what he is and when he speaks, he just says what
believes. You can argue whether you believe he believes it,
but he comes across as authentic to many people.
Guiliani is perceived to be good on terrorism, but socially,
a mess for these voters.
Thompson ruined his own chances. Federalism may be a good
position, but no one is running around saying, “if only I
could find a good Federalist!”
McCain. No need to write anything.
The others are perceived as having as much chance as Ron Paul.
So the voter has to sift through all this. I think that in
primaries, voters vote their hopes and dreams. They try to
find a candidate they can “get behind”. Not much of that
to choose in any 100% way.
They have to LIKE who they vote for.
They have to think they are authentic.
They have to share their values to some degree.
That candidate has to be perceived to be the
“one for this time”, to deal with the challenges
the country is facing.
They are clearly conflicted and anyone could still pull
ahead. There is no clear choice for most. Apparently,
when all that is weighed, Huck is slightly ahead... but
still less than 50%.
Merry Christmas to you tant,
ampu
No kidding. I completely agree with you. If Huckabee wins Iowa, Mitt is finished but at the same time Hilary is GUARANTEED to win the election since the vast majority of Americans will shudder in fear at the thought of a Southern Baptist MINISTER as POTUS.
Time to head for the hills and stock up in the cabin.