Well, he was elected your governor by the people of your state, and your state is very conservative. As per the article, your economy is/was the fastest growing. He aggressively pro business. If you want me to discount him b/c is not sufficiently anti gay or immigrant, forget it.
This is a big country, and not everyone is as hard right as you and me. Beating BHO is mandatory. Remember, it was independents who swung the election in ‘10. To beat BHO, I’d take 3/4 of a loaf any day.
Even when the candidate is a well-groomed Mormon who speaks fluent Chinese?
But it could be worse: He might speak French with a pure Parisian accent!