Could the Republicans have won in 2008?

[Fuzzy Bear]

Polling data through the primary process showed McCain as the strongest candidate against any Democrat, and the only one with a chance to beat the Democrats.  This polling data was consistent.

Let's not forget that McCain's image in 2008 was more moderate than it is now.  McCain was the sponsor of McCain-Feingold, and a man friendly toward John Kerry in 2004.  He wasn't the Grumpy Old Man who's a negative partisan then.  He had been the most critical of W over time, and this helped him versus the Democrats.

Any other Republican may well have handed Obama a Dukakis-like defeat.  Romney would have been blamed as just another business hack.  In addition it wasn't just the "Republican Brand" that took a hit; the "Conservative Brand" took a hit as well.  Republicanism and Conservatism were linked and blamed for the wars and financial turmoil, while individual Americans were becoming more socially liberal and less religious.  If there was a candidate who MAY have done better than John McCain in the GE, it MIGHT have been Rudy Giuliani, but even he didn't poll as well against the Democrats as McCain did.