The GOP nomination is up for grabs

RealClearPolitics ^ | December 9th 2007 | Salena Zito

[LonesomeHawk]

The GOP Race is Still Up for Grabs RealClearPolitics By Salena Zito

The most intriguing aspect of the Republicans' road to the nomination for president is its unpredictability. It's a buckle-up race that won't be decided early or easy. About the only thing for certain is that anything can happen and anyone can win.

Campaign strategists for four candidates -- Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee and John McCain -- can sit down straight-faced, without spin, and outline a plausible scenario for how their guy can win the nomination.

And for each legitimate win-scenario is an equally legitimate reason they cannot win.

[Theodore R.]

Yea, we can vote for the Republican nominee just like we always do, but nothing will ever change until voters learn that they can do creative things in the election process. Most are just convinced that GWB is a failure and that therefore they “must” vote for HRC “to correct” things.

[TChad]

Some Freepers seem to have forgotten Reagan's eleventh commandment.

Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.

We're the civilized party. Right?

[mossyoaks]

Hi folks -
If we all just make up our minds to go for McCain, then we can all get fired up - TOGETHER!

As I’ve said before, I think Hunter is great, but the reality is he just doesn’t have the numbers. Of the four front runners, McCain has the most experience & knowledge. Do you really trust National Security to any of the other three??

All together now: “Kum Ba Ya...” haha!
Seriously tho’, the sooner we just get behind ONE candidate (preferably McCain!), the sooner we can get some momentum in this campaign and take all the wind out of the democrats’ sails!

[Kevmo]

Good enough place to bump this thread.

bmflr

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Why the smart money is on Duncan Hunter
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1926032/posts

[Just Lori]

It's assumed by all of the pundits that Fred Thompson won't win. Despite my nervousness about his campaign, I think his strategy is to run it like it's a marathon, and not a sprint.

Funny thing..... Fred seems to be down in all the polls I've seen. Well, except the FR polls. He's in front on almost all of them.

Things that make you go: "hmmmmmmmmm".

[Just Lori]

According to the Fredheads, ANYONE who dares enter the race and isn't named "Fred Thompson" is an eeeeeeeeevil RINO socialist.

I like Fred Thompson. Does that make me a "fredhead"? I'd take any of our candidates (except Ron Paul who is NO Republican) over anyone on the other side ANY DAY. You seem to be painting a broad spectrum of folks with a very narrow brush.

At the end of the primaries, we will have a candidate. Whoever it turns out to be, some of us will be happy, and some of us will be disappointed. Those who decide to refrain from voting in the general election because they're disappointed, might just as well vote for the Democrat nominee.

God help this nation if Hillary or Obama or Johnny "two Americas" gets the White House.

[epow]

If the GOP fails to nominate a candidate that energizes the base then they are to blame for the consequences............More thought needs to go into how to break the cycle rather than supporting it at every election

Absolutely right. I have given it more thought, and I now refuse to vote for a RINO just because the Democrat may be worse. If that practice continues by a large portion of the Republican voters for another few election cycles we will soon come a point where there will be no difference between the two major party nominees. If Rudy is nominated we will be getting close to that point in this next election. If it boils down to Rudy vs either Hillary or Obama I won't vote for any one of the three.

Republicans have to get back to supporting conservatives for the Oval Office or we may as well throw in the towel and let the Democrats have it all. There are acceptable conservative candidates for the GOP nomination out there, but not one of them is getting the support of the conservative Republican vote bloc. Hunter is probably the most conservative candidate overall in the race, and he's polling less than 4%. Where are the 25-30 million evangelicals who claim to want a strong pro-life, anti-same sex marriage, socially conservative president? I'm afraid you would find a large percentage of them in RINORudy's camp because they have been told that he's the only one who can defeat Hillary/Obama. Personally, I want to vote FOR someone who I trust and can believe in, not just AGAINST someone who is a tad worse than my party's nominee. Don't tell me I have to be practical and vote for the lesser of two evils. The lesser of two evils is still evil, and that's what has gotten us into the mess we're in now.

[MSF BU]

I don’t think Hunter will turn it off. He may ramp down and remain on the ballot. I voted for Paul Laxalt in 1988 because the choice of Bush/Dole/Kemp/Robertson didn’t offer what I was looking for. I am going to make it a point to mention to Hunter that he ought to stay in. He’ll be up in NH soon, I believe.

[ElPatriota]

Sorry, just what I fought, a waste of time.

Did you know that "winning" is not always winning?... And that "losing" may actually lead to winning down the road?

I am social-conservative first, and Republican 3rd or 4th :)... I, and many others out there think it's time to demand more of our leaders, better quality leaders as far as our issues go. No, we are not asking for a 'saint,' but we want someone that if nothing else CAN BE BELIEVED IN WHAT HE SAYS! and Duncan is that man for us. I will stick with him until some BETTER comes along.

But I understand your point of view, I hope you understand mine - even if you don't like it - and others who feel the same as me.

[ElPatriota]

correction: fought=thought :)

[Theodore R.]

Actually, we did not know in March 1988 how pitiful Kemp was. That was disclosed in October 1996 when he sparred with “my friend Al, and I sincerely mean he is my friend.”

[County Agent Hank Kimball]

"I am social-conservative first, and Republican 3rd or 4th :)... I, and many others out there think it's time to demand more of our leaders, better quality leaders as far as our issues go. No, we are not asking for a 'saint,' but we want someone that if nothing else CAN BE BELIEVED IN WHAT HE SAYS! and Duncan is that man for us. I will stick with him until some BETTER comes along.

But I understand your point of view, I hope you understand mine - even if you don't like it - and others who feel the same as me."

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I understand it, and I respect it. Part of me wants to still be with old Tommy T. And if you choose to charge forward, waving the Duncan banner through the last caucus/primary, God Bless You.

I only hope, when all the votes have been counted, that at that point you don't let the fact that your ideal candidate wasn't chosen blind you to the need to prevent the ideal socialist from taking power.

Hank