Does Romney even have a chance this time?

[Lincoln Republican]

I think Romney has a better chance than Bush at this point.

Bush's tenure as Republican frontrunner was very brief.

I do wonder how much of the backlash against Romney is the result of Bush's friends. It was interesting to see a discussion on a Sunday Morning show where the two Republicans were both jeb backers. Having a lot of connections helps getting a message out.

I wouldn't call Newt Gingrich, the guy who cheated on multiple wives and was literally forced out by the GOP and Rick Santorum, the guy who lost by 33 points and Herman Cain, a philandering pizza guy "B list candidates". I wouldn't even call them "C list candidates". I wouldn't even call them "D list candidates". MAYBE E list.

Yeah, a guy who served ONE term as governor of a deep blue state and lost to Ted Kennedy by double-digits in a great Republican year was a real A-lister. Why anyone thought Romney was a good candidate is beyond me...really, the only thing he had going for him was no skeletons in his closet and didn't make gaffes (except for the 47% remark, but that was pretty minor compared to the stuff the others have said). Seriously, the if the GOP had wanted a moderate, they should've at least gone with Huntsman, who wouldn't have lost his home state.

What does it matter how a candidate does in their home state?

Romney won the home states of Perry, Gingrich and Huntsman.

Considering a Republican presidential nominee hadn't lost their home state since 1944 and even then it was only to someone else from that state, it was rather embarrassing that Romney not only lost his, but lost it by a huge margin. It's not the only thing I had against him (and yes, I did still vote for him in the general, albeit very reluctantly), but it's a good metaphor for his candidacy. I would've had a lot more respect for Romney if he at least had served a second term as governor of MA.

Just an observation:

I realize Nixon's birth state, home state, is California, however, in 1963, the Nixon family relocated to New York City, where Nixon became a senior partner in the leading law firm Nixon, Mudge, Rose, Guthrie & Alexander.

So Nixon's home state for the 1968 election would be New York, which he lost to Hubert Humphrey in the election.

I realize Romney lost his "home" state of Massachusetts in 2012, but one could hardly expect a Republican to have won one of the most liberal and one of the most Democratic states in the nation in a Presidential election under the circumstances of the 2012 election.

[IceSpear]

Yes, of course he has a chance, and a fairly good one at that. But it's not as good as it was in 2012, when the only time his nomination was ever really in doubt was Rick Perry's entrance. Yes, I know Cain/Gingrich/Santorum led in the polls at various points, but I don't think many people actually expected that to hold.

[OpinionatedGuy]

Yes, of course he has a chance, and a fairly good one at that. But it's not as good as it was in 2012, when the only time his nomination was ever really in doubt was Rick Perry's entrance. Yes, I know Cain/Gingrich/Santorum led in the polls at various points, but I don't think many people actually expected that to hold.

I would argue the last best opportunity to take Mitt Romney out was the Florida primary. After that, Newt teetered, and Santorum (who basically is the inverse of Romney, totally unable to appeal to Republicans who vote primarily on economic issues) became the new anti-Romney. Santorum had no ability to win, Newt might have at least had like a 1 in 50 shot.

[RR1997]

Yes, but his chances aren't that high.

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

I think Romney has a better chance than Bush at this point.

Bush's tenure as Republican frontrunner was very brief.

I do wonder how much of the backlash against Romney is the result of Bush's friends. It was interesting to see a discussion on a Sunday Morning show where the two Republicans were both jeb backers. Having a lot of connections helps getting a message out.

I wouldn't call Newt Gingrich, the guy who cheated on multiple wives and was literally forced out by the GOP and Rick Santorum, the guy who lost by 33 points and Herman Cain, a philandering pizza guy "B list candidates". I wouldn't even call them "C list candidates". I wouldn't even call them "D list candidates". MAYBE E list.

Yeah, a guy who served ONE term as governor of a deep blue state and lost to Ted Kennedy by double-digits in a great Republican year was a real A-lister. Why anyone thought Romney was a good candidate is beyond me...really, the only thing he had going for him was no skeletons in his closet and didn't make gaffes (except for the 47% remark, but that was pretty minor compared to the stuff the others have said). Seriously, the if the GOP had wanted a moderate, they should've at least gone with Huntsman, who wouldn't have lost his home state.

What does it matter how a candidate does in their home state?

Romney won the home states of Perry, Gingrich and Huntsman.

Considering a Republican presidential nominee hadn't lost their home state since 1944 and even then it was only to someone else from that state, it was rather embarrassing that Romney not only lost his, but lost it by a huge margin. It's not the only thing I had against him (and yes, I did still vote for him in the general, albeit very reluctantly), but it's a good metaphor for his candidacy. I would've had a lot more respect for Romney if he at least had served a second term as governor of MA.

Just an observation:

I realize Nixon's birth state, home state, is California, however, in 1963, the Nixon family relocated to New York City, where Nixon became a senior partner in the leading law firm Nixon, Mudge, Rose, Guthrie & Alexander.

So Nixon's home state for the 1968 election would be New York, which he lost to Hubert Humphrey in the election.

I realize Romney lost his "home" state of Massachusetts in 2012, but one could hardly expect a Republican to have won one of the most liberal and one of the most Democratic states in the nation in a Presidential election under the circumstances of the 2012 election.

I define home state as last state where the person held an elected office (true Ike didn't have one, but he carried every state that could be considered his home state). Using that methodology, my statement stands.

Saying Romney couldn't be expected to carry MA misses the point. Why were we even getting our nominee from Massachusetts in the first place? You don't see the Democrats getting their nominee from Nebraska. I could understand picking a nominee from a deep blue state if he was a really strong candidate, but as I said before, I don't see what Romney had going for him other than not having the baggage that the other Republican candidates had. If it wasn't for Obama not even serving a full term in the Senate before being elected President, I think Democrats would have attacked him for inexperience....only one term as a governor.

People criticize Jeb for not having won an election since 2002. Well, he also hasn't lost one since 1994. Can Romney say that? (Answer: no).

[Thomas D]

He can win a split field in Iowa, Take NH & NV.

Sure he has a shot.