Posted on 08/04/2011 9:06:42 AM PDT by Clairity
With potential to unite tea partiers and mainstream Republicans, party insiders say the Texas governor is a leading 2012 contender.
Republican political operatives continue to see former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney as the frontrunner for their party's 2012 presidential nomination, but Texas Gov. Rick Perry has become his primary challenger according the this week's National Journal Political Insiders Poll.
At the same time, some of the biggest names in the GOP have now become afterthoughts to lead the party in 2012: former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who remains a popular figure among conservative Republicans, has tumbled to eighth spot in the GOP Insiders ranking. And former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, the architect of the party's 1994 takeover of the House, has fallen out of the top-ten rankings altogether.
Romney's strengths remain what they have always been: his fundraising ability, the experience he gained from his losing 2008 presidential bid, the tendency of Republicans to nominate someone who has been around the track and his years running a private equity firm before he became governor which give him credibility on the economy.
(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...
“If and when Perry gets in he will shoot to the top as he can draw from the tea party and establishment voters,” said one GOP Insider. “He has more juice than Bachmann and is viewed as more authentic than Romney.” Another GOP Insider described Perry this way: “He’s a tea partier with governing credentials. That’s a tough combo to beat, in a primary anyway.”
November 2012 headline: “Perry buries Barry”
Dead wrong about everything.
If Perry stays out Bachmann or some other conservative will pick up the evangelical vote, and Mitt’s going down in flames.
Also Perry’s not far removed from Romney when you put image aside. Anti-Romney? More like Mitt + BBQ sauce = RINO Ricky.
Meet Rick Perry , W. the sequel.
How many FReepers (myself included) never dreamed that John McCain would have been the GOP nominee in 2008? To borrow metaphors from the article, we don’t want to get on that same train again. Perry is my choice for 2012.
You speak with much wisdom my friend!
That's been clear for over a year now, but it hasn't stopped the geniuses around here from screaming that I'm a commie RINO every time I point it out or yelling that even a blind man could see that Palin is running, etc. I'm certainly not that impressed with Romney at this point, but it's political reality. Flame away as usual...
Romney can hold only the country-club Rockefeller-Pubbie vote. He will never be accepted by the Tea Party, so he is not going to get the nomination. So quit raising this boogeyman that we are doomed to have 0bama or Romney as President unless we nominate open-borders, crony-capitalist Perry.
GOP Insiders ...
I just tuned out.
You do know these GOP Insiders just gave us the crap “deal” that has sent the Dow plunging 300+ points?
GOP Insiders = Ruling Class = Destroying Country
The thing I don’t get is who out of the current field other than, say, Perry, has a chance of winning? As much as I like Michele Bachmann, she isn’t going to win a national campaign. She doesn’t have the infrastructure or name recognition that you need. No one else has caught fire or the ones who have generated buzz are second tier candidates. And Romney has a national campaign and presence but he is so far removed from the conservative base that it would be very disappointing for him to win the nomination. Sarah Palin? Let’s wait until she announces to throw her into the mix. At this point thinking she will be the nominee and win are a fantasy. My hunch is that she won’t run, especially if Perry gets in (they are very close personally and politically). This is why I personally lean toward Perry. I see the posts on FR about what a RINO he is but they aren’t convincing. He’s no firebrand conservative but he isn’t a RINO.
Rick Perry’s path
http://dailycaller.com/2011/08/04/rick-perrys-path/
“I strongly suspect that if Perry runs, former Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) will not. Perry and Palin share a similar base and Perry’s candidacy gives Palin the out that she wants. She’ll announce she’s not running in September.
Perry will get stronger every day. Other presidential candidates will drop out and endorse him. He will become the coveted anti-Romney candidate, if not before Iowa then weeks later after South Carolina. Is there any current candidate who would endorse Romney over Perry in the primary once they’ve dropped out? No.”
Dream NY Times headline:
Perry wins largest landslide election since 1984; Democrats swept out of US Senate as Republicans seize 60 vote majority; GOP increases hold over House with large gains in traditionally Democratic strongholds
He sounds a lot like George W. Bush. Is that bad or good?
I’d vote for him if he gets the nod.
I want Sarah Palin to run.
If she doesn't run we're going to have to listen to crap about how she "would have mopped the floor with everybody" for the entire election cycle and beyond. It will be revolting. She needs to run and lose.
I want Sarah Palin to run.
“Romney can hold only the country-club Rockefeller-Pubbie vote. He will never be accepted by the Tea Party, so he is not going to get the nomination.’
Dream on, let me know when you are going to wake up and smell reality.
Romney is leading EVERY single GOP primary poll. When Perry is included, he is closing in. But otherwise, it’s Romney, Romney, Romney — in the REAL world.
If Romney is the nominee, Obama gets a second term.
“GOP Insiders = Ruling Class = Destroying Country’
Sure, it wouldn’t have anything to do with Obama and the Dems, would it?
If Perry ends up with the nomination, it will be ANOTHER holding the nose vote for me and that is a depressing thought. I just met some folks from Texas this morning at the Navy Lodge and I asked them about Perry running and they said putting up with him as governor for what seem like forever has been more than enough. So people in Texas are not exactly spitting jelly beans about the guy. Dear God PLEASE don’t make this illegal alien lover become president. Do it for the teenage girls if for nothing else.
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