Posted on 08/29/2011 10:24:14 AM PDT by AAABEST
Until a few weeks ago, the race for the Republican presidential nomination seemed wide open. There was a presumptive front-runner, Mitt Romney, but he held first place mostly because he was a familiar face; his support among Republican voters appeared broad but not deep.
Many conservatives at the party's core weren't happy with Romney, and a line of would-be champions has auditioned for their support, including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann. But none of them succeeded in knocking Romney off his perch.
Until now. Only two weeks after entering the race, Texas Gov. Rick Perry has abruptly leapt to the top of nationwide polls.
First, the polls. Last week the Gallup Poll showed Perry leading the field with support from 29% of Republican voters, with Romney at 17% and Texas Rep. Ron Paul at 13%. (Other surveys came up with similar results.) Perry's 29% was a stronger showing than Romney had enjoyed in most polls all year.
Though Perry is running strongest among conservatives, who make up a big majority of the GOP electorate, he has attracted a wider range of Republicans as well: high income and low income, college educated and blue collar, Northern and Southern. Some of Perry's support came from former Bachmann voters, but much of it came from voters who once preferred Romney — an ominous finding for the former front-runner, who still has a slight edge among moderates in the party.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Just having Palin, Bachmann, Perry, and Cain on the same debate stage would be a dream come true if you were to ask us Freepers a year ago. It was a year ago when Huntsman, Huckabee, Rudy, Mitt were the names once again being talked about.
It’s fear, really. In their heads, they know she doesn’t have the funding or the infrastructure or any of the other necessities needed to run, and they are also coming to grips all too quickly with the fact that she’s going to endorse Perry, for an appointment. Not that she’s selling out. She genuinely likes Perry and he genuinely likes her. But these are die-hard supporters that have never considered another candidate since 2008. The truth is going to be devastating when it’s held in front of their faces. For now, maintaining denial requires a whole lot of vitriol.
She doesn't need to declare first.
She's had a target on her back for three and a half years, and it has only made her stronger.
If she declares early, she draws fire that the early candidates need to experience in order to prove their mettle.
Sarah has been vetted on the national stage low these many years and proven she can take it.
The RINO cowboy has not.
In 2000, when Perry took office, the TRS had more assets than it needed to fund retiree benefits for more than 30 years.
But by 2010, the TRS has an unfunded liability of $21.6 billion.
Perry was, I believe, the FIRST governor to come out for the Tea Party. I may be wrong, but he was at least among the very earliest and really legitimized the movement.
Get real! Do you expect us to believe that you’ve talked to “hard core” Palin supporters who are afraid she will make mistakes and she is holding back to minimize that fact? I can tell you that real Sarah backers are confident in her ability to crush the competition. If we weren’t we would be backing someone else.
The most electable Tea Party presidential candidate you’re going to get.
IF you'd rather NOT be pinged FReepmail me.
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Dude, that’s what Unum JUST SAID.
Bob McDonnell of VA would do just fine as a VP candidate for Perry. Romney would be amazing as Perry’s Treasury Secretary. Just put him in the Treasury and turn him loose.
Perry will have to repay Palin for her endorsement. Energy secretary?
Rudy also tried skipping the early races and focus on Florida. The results? Crash and burn. By the time Florida rolls around, the voters there are already quite cognizant of how you've done so far. If you're a turkey, they'll treat you as one.
Ignoring Iowa is a tacit admission that you're not a strong candidate. Yeah, he's strong in NH. He's sank more money in that state than the Stimulus has. He'll carry it, and that will be his first and only win. He won't win SC, Iowa or Florida over Perry. Bachmann might have a thin swing at Iowa, but that will be the highwater mark of her candidacy.
I know this is heresy, and I denounce myself for saying it, but Bachmann is a VP candidate, only in the race to be Romney's conservative beard in the event Romney wins the nomination. She knows perfectly well that she's not going to top the ticket, but that Romney's odds were actually pretty good. Romney has zero appeal to the red states, wheras she has a deep appeal.
Since Romney is basically running the McCain 'last man standing' 2008 playbook, it stands to reason that he's going to need a strong conservative wingman to close the deal with the base voters. A problem that neither Perry, nor Palin, for that matter, have. Of course, Perry or Palin are popular governors, and are very viable top ticket contenders. Bachmann isn't. My $0.02, anyway.
Our chances of winning the US Senate in the 2012 elections seems strong. We shouldn't lose sight of this. It is more important than beating Obama IMHO. It would be nice to beat Obama but it isn't necessary. What is necessary is controlling the Senate and the HOR and showing the GOP that RINOs can not win elections anymore and that conservatives can.
Excuse me! I was typing when EPU posted. I’a typing with only two fingers and it takes a while to get my ideas in writing.
Polls are propaganda.. all pools are..
Someone WANTS to guide the election...
Those “someones” HATE the TpCaucus.. where Romney and Perry are not too popular..
Michele Bachmann is.. and even Hermie Caine..
Bachmann with caine as VeeP is the dream team..
Romney/Perry is a wish list of traitors.. that hate Obama but are still malefactors..
Oh really? How exactly is she going to win the nomination without declaring her candidacy?
he talks the talk but I haven’t seen him walk the walk.
I am not disputing that. Of the two, Perry has a lot more in common with tea party ideals than Romney. I just never considered him to be "tea party."
Let your candidate of choice prove him/herself like Sarah has.
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