Against which Republican will either Democrat have the best chance of winning?

[Maddy McCall]

Which is the weakest Republican? Which one will our nominee (regardless of which, Obama or Clinton) have the best chance of winning?

I'm watching the Republican results closely. I honestly don't know how to answer this poll question. If you respond to the poll, please post an explanation for your choice.

Thanks!

[terrya]

1. Huckabee, in opinion.

He's just too damn extreme. They say the candidates have to move to the middle to win the general election. I just don't see Huckabee doing that.

[DiamondJay]

2. Huckabee by far

most econ conservatives hate him because he sounds liberal on economic policy, helping poor people, not just those at the top, and non-social conservatives will think he will bring a theocracy. and he is a joke. you should have had romney and mccain the choices, because i'm conflicted on that. McCain has a polling lead now and has bipart. appeal, but he is old, and Romney is younger, and an outsider and has a huge war chest to fund himself. And romney would have social conservatives AND tax/econ conservatives, just not evangies.

[robbedvoter]

3. Any of them. Our turnouts are better.

[Aviation Pro]

4. Any one of them....

...this is the year for Democrats. Whatever dog is thrown into the arena by the Republicans will be crushed.

[Spider Jerusalem]

5. The weakest?

Huckabee, no question. His unabashedly religiously influenced views on social issues, and his brain-damaged support of the economic idiocy that goes by the name of the 'fair tax', would probably garner support in the South and possibly rural Midwest; the West Coast, New England and mid-Atlantic states, plus Florida, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, wopuld end up in the D column in November.

And McCain is probably the Republicans' strongest candidate; perception of him as being a 'maverick' (doesn't matter if it's not true, just that it's the perception) means he'd be more likely than the others to get the support of independent voters.

[Maddy McCall]

6. Hey.

I haven't seen you post in ages! Good to see you back on the boards.

I do agree with you on McCain. I just wonder how powerful the evangelical vote will be this time around. And if Huckabee can count on that. Of course, he certainly can't win the general with only the support of evangelicals.

[Spider Jerusalem]

8. Thanks :)

and the calculus for the GOP probably means a McCain/Huckabee ticket; the evangelical vote still comprises a significant portion of the Republican base, and Huckabee in the VP slotwould probably get social conservatives in the South and Midwest to vote rather than sit out the election. It may not be AS powerful, but the Republicans still need to play to those voters to win.

[jackson_dem]

7. Huckabee and Romney are both weak but Huckabee has charisma

So I would say Romney is easier to beat. McCain is by far the toughest.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

9. I'd say Huckabee.

With Romney second and McCain being their strongest.

I pick Huckabee as the easiest to beat due to his being strongly disliked by old school conservatives due to his religious slant and his ignorance on economic issues. He doesn't stand a chance in the GE IMO.

Romney could get more of their base behind him but I still believe he'd take a beating due to a lack of support from the independent voters and the strong division he creates in their religious voters.

McCain has a decent chance of getting the majority of their base behind him and a good share of the independent voters. He won't be able to win over the fiscal conservatives that are concerned with the deficit, however. They're feeling a bit battered and not represented by their party after all this war spending and record deficits. All in all I still say, if they can keep the disaster in Iraq down to a minimum in the media between now and November he has a fighting chance.