The Best Republican Governor

[Joe Republic]

Here is the contest to find the best current Republican governor in the United States.  The winner will go on to face the best Democratic governor in a grand final vote.

You may only vote in this contest if you are a Republican.  If you are neither a Republican nor a Democrat, you may vote in EITHER this contest OR the other, though if you wish to do so, you may switch to voting in the other contest after each round has finished.  Votes in both contests by the same person will be discounted.  Discounting anybody's vote is done at my discretion, and my decision is final.

To begin, the Republican governors have been divided up into four regional groups.  We'll start with the Northeastern governors.  Please select FOUR governors from the list below who you want to move on to the next rounds.  They do not need to be preferenced in any particular order.

Northeast Regional Bracket

Don Carcieri (RI)
Jim Douglas (VT)
Bob Ehrlich (MD)
George Pataki (NY)
Jodi Rell (CT)
Mitt Romney (MA)
Bob Taft (OH)

[Joe Republic]

If you are neither a Republican nor a Democrat, you may vote in EITHER this contest OR the other, though if you wish to do so, you may switch to voting in the other contest after each round has finished.

Don't make me discount both your votes, King.

[Joe Republic]

Apologies for the late closing.  The results for the Northeast bracket are shown below.

[Joe Republic]

NEW VOTE

As before, you may choose FOUR governors in no particular order.

Southeast Regional Bracket

Haley Barbour (MS)
Jeb Bush (FL)
Mike Huckabee (AR)
Sonny Perdue (GA)
Rick Perry (TX)
Robert Riley (AL)
Mark Sanford (SC)

[Joe Republic]

[Joe Republic]

NEW VOTE

As before, you may choose FOUR governors in no particular order.

Midwestern Regional Bracket

Matt Blunt (MO)
Mitch Daniels (IN)
Ernie Fletcher (KY)
Dave Heineman (NE)
John Hoeven (ND)
Tim Pawlenty (MN)
Mike Rounds (SD)

[Joe Republic]

Does anybody else want to carry this on for me?  I've been pretty busy these last few days, and I don't think I can finish this myself.  I've set everything out pretty clearly with those graphics.