Who Will The Republicans Look to in 2012

[J. J.]

Whomever is nominated has a chance of being the next Ronald Reagan.

[TomC]

Whomever is nominated has a chance of being the next Ronald Reagan.

or the next Bob Dole

[© tweed]

Whomever is nominated has a chance of being the next Ronald Reagan.

or the next Bob Dole

the next Goldwater might be the right analogy.  especially if Obama gets shot in 2011, and Biden pushes through some of his legislation and the GOP nominates Pence.

[paul718]

the next Goldwater might be the right analogy.  especially if Obama gets shot in 2011, and Biden pushes through some of his legislation and the GOP nominates Pence.

in my dreams

minus the whole "losing" thing, of course.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I love Mark Sanford. I've met him on several occasions, but I highly doubt he has presidential aspirations.

I certainly hope we can do better than Sarah Palin in 2012. If not, we'll have Obama for 2 terms.

What's wrong with Palin? Other then the fact the media hates conservative women.

Foreign policy. She's just as big a novice as Obama. If she isn't in the White House for four years, I don't think she'd be ready for the Presidency in 2012. I like her, but I'd have to look at my options in 2012. If I had to choose between Jindal, Sanford and Palin, I'd definitely go with my governor, Mr. Sanford, but Palin or Jindal would excite the base more.

But hey, by 2012, someone we never expected might be running, but I will almost bet the GOP nominates Romney or Huckabee, just as they always nominate the runner up.

[Josh/Devilman88]

I love Mark Sanford. I've met him on several occasions, but I highly doubt he has presidential aspirations.

I certainly hope we can do better than Sarah Palin in 2012. If not, we'll have Obama for 2 terms.

What's wrong with Palin? Other then the fact the media hates conservative women.

Foreign policy. She's just as big a novice as Obama. If she isn't in the White House for four years, I don't think she'd be ready for the Presidency in 2012. I like her, but I'd have to look at my options in 2012. If I had to choose between Jindal, Sanford and Palin, I'd definitely go with my governor, Mr. Sanford, but Palin or Jindal would excite the base more.

But hey, by 2012, someone we never expected might be running, but I will almost bet the GOP nominates Romney or Huckabee, just as they always nominate the runner up.

IF the nominate Romney or Huckabee then Obama will win re-election Reagan style.

[SPC]

I think Palin would be the Republican's strongest choice in 2012. That is probably why the MSM is always mocking her, since they would like to take out a likely opponent of Obama early.

[Wall St. Wiz]

As much as I like Palin I hope she doesn't run in 2012.  Her image has been tarnished too badly this election.  I do think that she's enjoying the national spotlight and she won't want to stay as Alaska governor for too long.  I see a Fox News or talk radio show in her future.

It's time for a new generation of Republican candidates.  Jindal, Pence, Thune (though I'm not a huge fan).  I don't think he has the charisma but I was seriously impressed by Pawlenty when he was auditioning for veep.  The guy is a great debater and can speak on basically any issue.

[paul718]

I see Pence as the coming leader and face of the party.  Though I'm not sure he'd run in 2012.  I think and hope that the party will coalesce behind one person, so we can avoid having 10 guys up there for the first few primary debates.  Romney has the greatest chance of being that person.   

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Whomever is nominated has a chance of being the next Ronald Reagan.

or the next Bob Dole

the next Goldwater might be the right analogy.  especially if Obama gets shot in 2011, and Biden pushes through some of his legislation and the GOP nominates Pence.

Goldwater happened because the Right Wing got fed up with being ignored by the party establishment of Eisenhower, Nixon, and Rockefeller.  He was the champion of everyone on the Right, from Buckley to Schlafly, and they gave not a toot whether he could actually win the election.  They also knew it didn't really matter anyway, since Abraham Lincoln wouldn't have defeated LBJ that year.

Today, the Right is firmly in control of the GOP.  They can nominate a candidate for his electability and then pressure him to tow the conservative line.  Look what they did to John McCain, after all.

No Goldwater debacle in 2012.

[Frodo]

Either Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee -Sarah Palin may try to make a run for the nomination too, but her erratic behavior will serve to ensure that she will never win the nomination, though she could make enough of a splash to split the socially/religious conservative vote with Mike Huckabee, thereby delivering the nomination to Mitt Romney.

As far as Mike Pence is concerned, he is better off in the House.  If Republican fortunes in Congress don't turn either next year, or in 2012, they most definitely will by 2014 by sheer exhaustion with one-party Democratic rule.  And he will want to be well-placed to take advantage of that wave if and when it comes his way, particularly if John Boehner finally retires and lets a younger conservative generation of Republican congressional leaders like Mike Pence, Eric Cantor, and Paul Ryan take over.