Posted on 02/08/2008 5:17:52 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Republican Mitt Romney's withdrawal from the presidential race yesterday left local conservatives wondering where they'll turn in the November general election when no candidate may be a source of inspiration.
Most will probably end up backing the Republican nominee even if it is John McCain, the front-runner disdained by some conservatives. But others may not turn out at all.
“I feel that strongly,” said 72-year-old Catherine Marino of San Diego.
The question about turnout is an important one because enthused Democratic voters are beaming about both their candidates while Republicans have been divided and dispirited.
“I think I could get to a point where I could support McCain . . . as long as McCain can start addressing some of those issues consistent with my conservative beliefs,” El Cajon lawyer Chris Allred said.
Mindy Thomas, a Carmel Valley mother of four, said she would support McCain over either Democratic candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton or Barack Obama, even though she hasn't “really looked into McCain.”
Thomas, who supported Romney, said that voting is too important to forsake.
“That's been a right that we have in this country that's been fought for long and hard, and I agree with participating whether I agree with a candidate on every issue,” she said.
Romney sprang his announcement yesterday on a gathering of conservatives in Washington, D.C. It came as a disappointment in San Diego County, which contains two of the four congressional districts that went for Romney in California's Super Tuesday primary.
Romney topped McCain in the 49th District, which includes Vista, Fallbrook and Oceanside, and the 52nd District, which covers East County.
The outcome in California's 53 congressional districts was more important here than in other states because delegates are awarded by district, not by state.
In San Diego County, McCain beat Romney by 2 percentage points. Romney won only three of California's 58 counties: Fresno, Shasta and Sierra.
McCain has drawn rebukes from high-profile conservatives for a variety of reasons: He opposed President Bush's big tax cuts (but now says he would extend them), pushed legislation that would put illegal immigrants on the path to citizenship, supported stem cell research and sponsored campaign finance reform.
He opposes abortion but believes that states should settle the issue of same-sex marriage, rejecting the view of many conservatives that a constitutional amendment is needed.
A lot of politics will play itself out between now and November that could make McCain more palatable to fiscal and social conservatives. Several people said his choice of a running mate could help him among conservatives, particularly if he selects Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor who remains in the race.
Others said having Clinton, long seen as a liberal foil for conservatives, as an opponent could ignite their base and turn the right out in large numbers.
It's unclear at this point what sort of overtures McCain might make to corral support from conservative voters in November.
Nationwide, it's not as if McCain hasn't already won over large swaths of them. A California exit poll conducted by the networks on Super Tuesday showed 35 percent of self-identified conservatives chose McCain, as opposed to 43 percent who voted for Romney.
San Diego County GOP chairman Tony Krvaric said McCain is the one responsible for bringing the party back together.
“Party leaders like myself don't have much influence,” he said. “People take their cues from the nominee. It's up to the nominee to reach out to try to unify the party.”
“Party leaders like myself don't have much influence,” he said. “People take their cues from the nominee. It's up to the nominee to reach out to try to unify the party.”
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Maybe some locals can fill us in on how McCain is uniting the party.
kind of makes sense why the Ca GOP is in the toilet of late
I can’t vote for McCain unless he makes a promise to enforce the immigration laws.
Nothing else will get it for me.
Only if coupled with an inauguration day, suicide pledge.
I think a lot more hinges on the VP nominee than in previous years.
If it’s Romney, I’ll be happy and will vote and maybe even donate.
If it’s anyone else, I’ll be underwhelmed and will probably still vote but that’s it.
If it’s Huckabee, after the West Virginia collusion rip off, I will not vote. Screw that.
If I were Romney I would sue the fools who ran his race in CA. What a bunch of comedians. They only won 3 CDs, after all that money spend and Mitt’s solid statewide poll #s. Sue Mitt Sue!!!
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