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Given that Allen is basically out of the presidential hunt (he might even lose his seat), that sort of creates a vacuum as to a candidate whom some conservatives on social issues in particular would support in a GOP primary in 2008 for president. We seem to be left with Romney, Giuliani and McCain as viable candidates, which is fine with me (of course I would hope McCain won't make it, but that is just my opinion), but not to this particular cohort. Who will fill it? Will such voters drift to McCain and/or Romney, or will some person not currently in the running emerge, and if so who?

No, I don't consider Brownbach remotely viable with this cohort (he went "soft" on illegal immigration, is a very poor speaker, and comes across as dull, among other things), so I doubt it will be him. So who is left, that one can reasonably expect might decide to go for it to fill the vacuum, as opposed to those who say they won't, such as Condi Rice (who would probably not fill the bill anyway)? Or is no one left, and the three are the viable choices, in which event some in this neighborhood will not be happy campers?

Allen can recover, but he needs to revamp his staff, pronto. I have voiced my suspicions on the quality of his staff before, going back to his unfortunate seeming support of Cindy Sheehan meeting with the President.

What is disturbing about the staff problem is that it indicates Allen is not a good manager, and that is NOT a good message to send if one wants to run for president.

As far as who is left...McCain will not win the nomination because he has alienated too many people. That leaves Guiliani and Romney. Romney is flying under a lot of people's radar, but I heard he has a very professional staff in Iowa and he surprised a lot of people by the amount of money he collected in California.

Neither Romney nor Guiliani are going to please some people here, but I always look for the most conservative candidate who can get elected. I am not interested in "making a statement."

Guiliani is a sentimental choice, but I am afraid that his personal life might come back to bite him. Republicans don't get the pass from the media that democrats do.

That's my opinion now. Ask me in 6 months...I might be singing a different tune. I have no favorite and my vote will be cast in the Indiana primary, which is late and will no doubt be after the candidate has been chosen.

Allen isn't going to lose his seat over this media-driven nonsense, especially that his 'Rat opponent exposed himself as not above engaging in Jew-baiting. I consider the RINO troika of Romney, Rudy, and McNut as non-starters. Romney has done nothing for the MA Republican party as it becomes more and more moribund by the day, accomplished nothing as Governor (partly because Republicans are completely powerless thanks to the obscenely overrepresented 'Rat legislature reducing it to figurehead status) and doesn't even want to bother with running for a 2nd term. McCain is a senile wackjob of whom the media is hoping will get nominated so they can easily polish him off for the general (a very easy task), and Giuliani is a Democrat in virtually every position save law and order (excluding gun rights, in which case, he is as liberal as they come).

I agree with you on Brownback, he is also a no-go. I could settle for Rice, but worry about her lack of electoral experience and the fact she's not socially Conservative enough. I'm still sticking with Allen, but there may be some dark-horse candidates out there coming from the ranks of the Governors. I wouldn't mind Haley Barbour, who did a superb job of managing the Katrina aftermath (in stark contrast to the buffoons in Louisiana, who demonstrated they didn't have the collective intelligence to flush a toilet). But it is readily apparent that there is no "magic" candidate. Of course, the good news is that there is no "magic" candidate for the 'Rats, either. In a world where they didn't nominate candidates with Stalinist family histories (Lamont), Lieberman would be a superb candidate for them, but we know how that goes... ;-)

Given that Allen is basically out of the presidential hunt (he might even lose his seat), that sort of creates a vacuum as to a candidate whom some conservatives on social issues in particular would support in a GOP primary in 2008 for president. We seem to be left with Romney, Giuliani and McCain as viable candidates, which is fine with me (of course I would hope McCain won't make it, but that is just my opinion), but not to this particular cohort. Who will fill it? Will such voters drift to McCain and/or Romney, or will some person not currently in the running emerge, and if so who?

No, I don't consider Brownback remotely viable with this cohort (he went "soft" on illegal immigration, is a very poor speaker, and comes across as dull, among other things), so I doubt it will be him. So who is left, that one can reasonably expect might decide to go for it to fill the vacuum, as opposed to those who say they won't, such as Condi Rice (who would probably not fill the bill anyway)? Or is no one left, and the three are the viable choices, in which event some in this neighborhood will not be happy campers?

Torie, I'll give you Mitt, Rudy, and McCain, and take the field, for a cold beer. Now, what "the field" consists of, at this early date, is subject to question. But it seems to me that these three, all with at least some appeal to moderates (which is an insulting term among the true believers), are likely to split the RINO vote, and leave the field clear for some as yet unidentified conservative.

Seems to me that an awful lot of moderate Republicans have been early leaders, or at least viable candidates, for the nomination over the years -- Henry Cabot Lodge, George Romney, Nelson Rockefeller, and of course McCain. Not to be paranoid, but the "Eastern establishment press" has had more than a little to do with pushing moderate candidates for the GOP nomination. Given the likely composition of the GOP primary voters and convention delegates, I have every confidence that the nominee will be right of center.

I'm not ready yet to throw in the towel on George Allen, but of course he'll have to win reelection, and by more than a few votes, to remain viable. Frist's star has ebbed (yes, another mixed metaphor), and he's almost done. Two potential candidates who have said they won't run might yet change their minds. No, not Jeb -- fairly or unfairly, Bush weariness among the electorate rules that out. But Condi -- if the Middle East situation improves, as I think it will -- and my current longshot, Haley Barbour.

There is, of course, a long, long way to go.

If you're going to remove Allen from Presidential consideration, then you need to remove McCain as well. I'd say the Keating 5 scandal was a bit more serious than "macaca."

i think romney can fill it.