Opinion of this statement

[Cobbler]

"When the GOP nominates moderates they lose. When they nominate conservatives, they win."

This is something I've heard some say. They point to Reagan and Dubya as examples of successful conservatives, while they point to the failed campaigns of McCain, Dole, HW Bush, Ford, and I anticipate that if he loses, Romney, as the evidence that moderates don't win.

What is your take on this notion?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Reagan

It's pretty clear than a more moderate republican could easily have done better. Remember that at the beginning of the campaign polls were quite close despite Carter's unpopularity and all the problems.

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Except he actually lost. Anyways, 2-term incumbent parties rarely hold power, and Gore's campaign sucked anyways.

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Really... Really ?

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Not a "moderate" in the time's context.

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Didn't he win in 1988 ? After 12 years of republican power, voter fatigue and a bad economy explains 1992.

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Watergate anyone ? It's a miracle Ford did so well.

[Lief 🗽]

George W. Bush didn't run as a conservative. His whole "compassionate conservative" schtick was explicitly refuting the rigidly ideological Republican conservatism of the past decade or so.

And Mittens has run one of the most right-wing campaigns by a major party candidate since World War II.

[TNF]

Reagan won because Carter sucked.

Reagan won again because he employed Keynesianism to revive the economy in time for 1984.

Bush won because Dukakis couldn't campaign.

Bush lost because of a terrible economy.

Dole lost because he wasn't charismatic and couldn't overcome the good economy.

Bush lost.

Bush won because he was a wartime president.

McCain lost because of the economy.


Ideology doesn't seem to matter so much as the economy does.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     As Antonio V pointed out, plenty of the people who are listed as "moderates" actually aren't. Given that this bit usually comes out of hardline conservatives, the distorted perception of ideology isn't that surprising.