Republicans know they need to win over some Obama voters, right?
(either that or a vast majority of the 18-22 vote)
If the Obama-phobic haters were outnumbered in 2008 and 2012, there's no way that more of them will show up in 2016, when he's no longer even running.
They need just enough Obama voters to win.
How in the world are they setting themselves up to do that??
Governor Bush is setting himself up to do that. He can win over hispanic voters, catholic voters, moderate voters, and white working class voters who helped his brother and President Obama win. He's doing it by talking about the need to have 4% economic growth and a foreign policy where America leads again. He's not changing his beliefs to win an election.
Some of the other primary candidates have no real chance of victory. Donald Trump alienates the vast majority of Americans with his anti-immigrant rheoric and name calling. Scott Walker and Bobby Jindal have both begun pandering to the right wing of the party much like Mitt Romney did in 2012, it will get them nowhere in a general election. Ted Cruz is the ultimate symbol of the government shutdown, he's too polarizing. Rand Paul's foreign policy is extreme and unrealistic. Chris Christie's record in New Jersey hurts him. Ben Carson has no experience and has made some pretty weird statements. George Pataki is extremely boring. Jim Gilmore was rejected by the voters of his home state, a swing state, when he last ran for office. Rick Perry was a very average Governor and has taken some positions in the past that would come back to haunt him.
