Republicans supporting presidential candidates in the Argus Leader
Jerry Rubendall - (2004 convention) - McCain, but might switchRead it here.
Sue Peterson - (2000 convention) - Huckabee, but "believes McCain is a conservative too."
Randy Frederick (2004 Convention) - Romney. "The two front-runners may be Rudy Giuliani and Romney. Not sure McCain is a player anymore."
Allan Unruh - (I believe he's been to a couple) - An anti-abortion conservative candidate.
This really shows that no one person is emerging as a favorite here in SD. And I think that's reflected nationally. Some conservatives want Newt to jump in, but others (including myself) think he might have too much baggage at this point. No one is solidifying the base.
That's why I'd like to see hoping Fred Thompson jump in at this point. And I'm not the only one. Check out this snippets included with a column from Real Clear Politics on the possibilities:
Go read that all here.Thompson, who was also a Watergate prosecutor, had previously discouraged suggestions he run. But he is now considering the race, amid indications his conservative record combined with a blue-collar, pickup-truck appeal, to independents and moderate Democrats might make him the right guy at the right time.
If he runs -- at least on paper -- Thompson has the potential to win the Republican nomination and the White House, unlike the other non-front-runners, who for one reason or another appear unlikely to make the cut as presidential material.
and...If Thompson runs, look for conservatives to rally around him in an effort to save their party from Rudy Giuliani or John McCain , and the country from Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. They like his 90-plus rating as a senator from the American Conservative Union almost as much as the zero he received from the liberal Americans for Democratic Action.
and...
Thompson's candidacy is intriguing to some because of his potential to appeal to independents and moderate Democrats, like McCain and Giuliani. But unlike they, his background and charisma could fire up the GOP base, which is searching for a champion. He'll get to audition for them in the coming weeks when he fills in for ABC Radio's Paul Harvey, whose show is a staple for conservatives.
Maybe - just maybe - those voters and other former delegates such as me (PP- 2004 convention) might get a Republican we feel we can get behind and win with, as opposed to simply settling.
Who's with me?
Comments
Both Giuliani and Thompson have this problem.
America will not elect an old bald man from the South in the television era. Just isn't going to happen. Doesn't matter what his ideology is.
The other problem is that the Republican party doesn't have an ideology. The anti-abortion and fundamentalist christians factions have taken over the party.
Answer to the question is Eisenhower. His election can be attributed to his status as a war hero. Fred Thompson doesn't have that. Guiliani might due to 9/11
I don't care if he has hair or not. He looks and sounds presidential, which is something in this day and age, considering Hillary's rants on the ohter side.
Solid, stands for something.
Acts Presidential.
Sounds like he knows the difference between caving and compromise.
He has all other serious contenders beat by a long way.
And YES 12:54pm the Republican Party does have an ideology.
It IS Prolife and Conservative--always has been and would like to remain so--read the platforms back to Reagan days! (or aren't you that old??)
I've been reading Newt's new book Winning the Future. He's great, but I think you have a point, PP.
My favorite is Haley Barbour, but I see on his web site he's running for re-election as Governor of Mississippi. Boy, if we only had a governor with one-tenth the brains and balls as that guy!