2012 GOP Primaires - Updated Version

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Alright, I think this one is better than the last one.

[Workers' Friend]

Since no Huckabee, Pawlenty.

[paul718]

Still Romney.

You need to add Newt Gingrich.  And maybe Haley Barbour and Mike Pence.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Ben, are you randomly posting such polls to boost your ever expansive post count? I often wonder such thoughts a vast majority of the time when I am on the forum, sometimes even when I'm off it. I mean, I'm much more concerned about whether or not you are boosting your post count rather than the current economic crisis, which is ravaging the world's financial markets or even Clay Aiken's homosexuality.

[Daniel Adams]

Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Ben, are you randomly posting such polls to boost your ever expansive post count?

Absolutely not.

[Erc]

Other (Charlie Crist)

[YRABNNRM]

What is the question here?

[Kaine for Senate '18]

What is the question here?

Who would you support.  I should've included it.

[perdedor]

I would certainly support Palin for the Republican nomination. It would be the death of that party.

[SPC]

Other (Ron Paul). I will actually be able to vote by then, too.

[Eraserhead]

I would certainly support Palin for the Republican nomination. It would be the death of that party.

[Workers' Friend]

I would certainly support Palin for the Republican nomination. It would be the death of that party.

I hope that wouldn't happen. I don't want a 1-party nation with the DNC only. It'd be Economic Heaven but Social Hell for me.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Ben, are you randomly posting such polls to boost your ever expansive post count?

Absolutely not.

Well, it certainly seems that very way on numerous occasions, inclusive of this very thread.

I would certainly support Palin for the Republican nomination. It would be the death of that party.

Agreed. However, Bob, I doubt it would result in the death of the Republican Party. Maybe a twelve to sixteen year coma would best suit the once mighty GOP.

[Keystone Phil]

Still ideally for someone else. Otherwise, Pawlenty then Jindal.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Of those folks, Romney. Better him than some loser like Palin.

[JSojourner]

Who would I support?  LOL

Among Republicans?  Well, since Amo Houghton, Mark Hatfield and Alan Simpson are pretty long in the tooth...maybe Olympia Snowe.  She's like the last of the Mohicans here.

But who do I think will be seriously in the mix?  A lot on your list, but Mike Pence.  Don't forget him.

[The Populist]

Out of these choices, I'd probably go for Pawlenty.

[Nixon in '80]

Of these, Romney.

Of others, possibly Gingrich or Paul/Johnson.

[Marokai Backbeat]

I would certainly support Palin for the Republican nomination. It would be the death of that party.

This. Although I am concerned that right now it's likely that only batsh**t insane fundies and/or fascists are going to be in charge of the Republican Party come the 2012 primaries. Palin, Huckabee, Jindal...

[DanielX]

Hard to say, really - its too soon to see if, for example, Jindal is presidential material or not.

I'm going to propose that, in 2012, there will be 3 major wings to the party:
1. The Religious Right: you know them, all god and glory, strong on so-called "Family Values". Huckabee and Palin seem to be their favorites so far; Jindal may end up here.
2. The Establishment: Older School Republicans mixed in with the remnants of the neocons. Tend toward corporate-conservative on economics, tend rightwards on social issues (but not nearly as much as the Religious Right) and generally active on foreign policy. Romney seems to be their big candidate, but someone else may come up. Pawlenty may go here, I'm not sure.
3. The Libertarian-Conservatives: Big  fiscal conservatives, who vary on social issues and are usually more isolationist - really don't get along that well with the Religious Right.  Paul isn't likely, as he's very old. I'll suggest either Gary Johnson (former Gov. of New Mexico), Mark Sanford (Gov. of South Carolina), and Jeff Flake (Rep. from, I think, Arizona) as appealing to them, the latter 2 blending enough to be acceptable to 1/2.

Strangely enough, these are mutated forms of the same 3 branches the GOP had back in the 1970s -  Reagan and Gingrich were the two who managed to get all three together. Which is why some people talk about Gingrich as a 2012 candidate despite him being 'old hat'. Johnson is also kind of old hat as well, but he stands out as being an effective libertarian-ish governor of the most populist state in the southwest.

[Mr. Morden]

Johnson is also kind of old hat as well, but he stands out as being an effective libertarian-ish governor of the most populist state in the Midwest.

New Mexico is the Midwest?  New Mexico is uber-populist?

[DanielX]

Johnson is also kind of old hat as well, but he stands out as being an effective libertarian-ish governor of the most populist state in the Midwest.

New Mexico is the Midwest?  New Mexico is uber-populist?

Foo. Southwest. Its not uberpopulist, but it is much more populist than Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, or Utah...

[Reaganfan]

Man, this is tough compared to this year. In 2004 and 2005, I flirted with the idea of supporting a "Bill Owens" or "Mark Sanford". But of course, they never ran and I soon realized that given the War on Terror and all the problems at home and abroad, we needed a Senator. So by 2005, I decided on two: Sen. George Allen of Virginia, who was headed for an easy re-election in 2006, and Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

By the time 2006 rolled around, my support grew stronger for McCain, and by the fall obviously Allen was out of the running.

I looked at the 2008 field as:

John McCain - Pro-life conservative, electable, National Security Credentials, Experience
Rudy Giuliani - Electable, National Security Credentials, but not a pro-life conservative
Mitt Romney - flip-flopped too much recently, no National Security Credentials
Mike Huckabee - Pro-life conservative, electable, but no National Security Credentials
Fred Thompson - Pro-life conservative, electable, but ineffective campaign

When I looked at that list, only John McCain had the most conservative yet electable positions, a pro-life record, experience and National Security Credentials.

As I look down the list of 2012 candidates, I find myself liking the idea of supporting:

Haley Barbour
Sarah Palin
Bobby Jindal
Newt Gingrich
Mitt Romney
Fred Thompson
Mike Huckabee

I guess maybe this time around, my focus will be more on electing a conservative who can unite America and enforce economic and social conservatism, rather than only caring about who has strong foreign policy credentials. Shows how much times have changed for even my own preferences.

[dead0man]

Gary Johnson or Jeff Flake....outside chance of Newt.  As it stands now, 2012 won't be the election I come back to the GOP.