Posted on 01/23/2008 8:11:24 AM PST by freespirited
...What's clear is that with Thompson out, the crowd on the ideological right grows less crowded.
The exit polls from the Palmetto State underscore Thompson's appeal to the most conservative GOP voters. Among the voters who described themselves as "very conservative" Huckabee led the way with 41%, but Thompson claimed 22% percent (McCain placed third with 19% followed by Romney with 16%).
"Based on South Carolina, a state that Thompson worked pretty hard, his departure would seem to help Huckabee and Romney probably more so than McCain," said Neil Newhouse, an [unaffiliated] Republican pollster..
Given Thompson's strengths with very conservative voters and evangelicals, it seems as though Huckabee should be the obvious beneficiary. But Huckabee hasn't won a contest since Iowa, and his dearth of cash raises real questions about whether he will be able to capitalize on Thompson's departure in Florida.
Enter Romney who is campaigning hard for the votes of conservatives in Florida and [who] will almost certainly spend the most money on reaching voters in the Sunshine State. ... Thompson's departure coupled with Huckabee's uncertain commitment to the state give the former Massachusetts governor the best chance he's had yet.
While Thompson's exit could well help Romney or Huckabee in the short run, his departure could accrue to McCain's benefit in the long-term battle for the nomination. ..
... The Post's last national poll suggests that McCain may gain a very slight boost from Thompson's departure. If Thompson is eliminated and his supporters' second choices are re-allocated, that poll showed McCain leading the Republican field with 30% -- 2% higher than he received with Thompson included in the ballot test. The only other candidate to make gains with the reallocation of Thompson supporters was Giuliani, who went from 15% with Thompson in to 18% with him out.
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.washingtonpost.com ...
When Fred was running, the media completely ignored him.
Now that he quit, he’s suddenly a hot media topic.
This Fred voter is going for Guilianni in Florida; I want confusion and no candidate at the convention so that we have an outside chance of choosing a conservative there.
Basic idea is that if we have 4 candidates with a good number of delegates nobody wins, so vote Guilianni . . .!
National reporter Jamie Dupree just stated that Thompson’s run for President was never taken very seriously by his own staffers or observers outside his campaign. During this interview, another participant in the discussion referred to Thompson as “chicken” when referring to his unwillingness to embrace fundamental change to the income tax laws.
While I was totally sure of my support for Fred, because I believed he was running for the good of the country, not for his own interests, now I am so confused with where to put my support. I do not like any of the candidates remaining.
There is only one real conservative left. And it isn’t the one that has changed every issue to be elected (Flip Romney). Huckabee may not be perfect, but he is the only authentic conservative left.
The media loves when candidates like FT dont get the votes or poll well
Yep.
But I think Hillary will be president.
You called it. Any Dem will be helped, since a very large bloc of “Stay-at-home-voters” just developed.
Huckabee.
Todays intersting HIllary news.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1958230/posts
A wise man once said
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“When the enemies of this country are at the negotiating table, who do you want representing you? Whoever that guy is, that’s the guy you ought to vote for President.”
- Fred Thompson
I like Fred - but his supporters/voters were not a significant number - despite how it would appear to someone who spends a lot of time on this site!
After listening to the Ron Paul interview on the Glenn Beck Show this moring, I am almost convinced that Dr Paul understand our economy, and how closely it is tied to taxing and spending than any other candidate. But his lack of support for my soldiers in Iraq is disturbing enough I have problems supporting Paul.
Had Fred jumped when everyone else jumped, he may have fared better, having time to polish his persona before the Primary season rather than playing catch up to the other practiced candidates.
Frankly, I really don’t know who I will support. My 1st choice is gone. Probably my 2nd and 3rd choices will not make it either. So why settle for a bottom feeder RINO who looks no different than the Democrat bottom feeders.
Why vote just for the sake of exercising that right?
Expect less, settle for less, vote for lowered expectations. No thanks.
I disagree.
Fred had the media spotlight early on and he squandered it.
I’ll go Huckabee. At least on the issues that he is conservative, he is authentically conservative. And despite all the hysterics, he is only a moderate on the others.
And he is the only authentic conservative on the issues that matter when it comes to appointing judges. And thats whats going to be important as probably 2 more SCOTUS seats will come open the next four years.
I disagree with DuPree.
Fred was very specific on changes to the tax system. But like everything else conservative about Fred, he was dissed and ignored by the MSM. Liberals are too threatened by a TRUE CONSERVATIVE to ever allow someone like Fred to gain momentum.
But Democrats could live with a RINO, so the RINO is passed off as “conservative”. Talk about deception!
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