2012 GOP poll: Who will it be?

[mdmc]

[tomm2thumbs]

1. Paul Ryan: dark horse hail mary pass

he's their Reagan Mini-Me



or he'll be VP pick to try and get someone else's engine over the hill

[craigmatic]

2. It'll be either rohmeny or thune.

They'll want somebody with charisma to challenge Obama. The tea party vote is going to split and it'll be the party insiders that pick their nominee in 2012. Palin won't get it for obvious reasons. Huckabee won't run. Gingrich has too many scandals and barbour sounds racist and they won't pick him because of how it'll look to run a segregationist against the first black president. That just leaves rohmney or thune with pawlenty or rubio as their likely VP choices.

[provis99]

6. Charisma? Thune has the charisma of fossilized wood.

He makes Al Gore look laid back.

[craigmatic]

7. True but they're republicans how cool do you expect them to be?

Plus he's just likeable enough to win Iowa and bland enough to appeal to both traditional republicans and tea partiers. In essence he's an empty vessel who unlike romney won't be controversial because of a previous stance for HCR. His only flaw is going to be fund raising. I could see scott brown being his running mate.

[littlewolf]

10. LOL !!!

[Gothmog]

12. Romney has some issues in the South

There are a large number of voters in the South who do not consider LDS and Romney to be christians. There was interesting polling in 2008 that showed that Romney had some real issues with the southern baptists and some other christian groups because these groups do not consider Mormons to be christians. Without these voters, the GOP has a hard time carrying the south and without the south, the GOP can not win

[RichGirl]

16. Not just the south....

Born again Christians (they are all over the country) think mormanism is an evil cult.

[davidpdx]

58. I'm a nonpracticing Christian and I am convinced Mormons are a cult

[golfguru]

35. The Christian fundies hate Romney

because of his religion but they mask their hate under the guise of
accusing Romney of being a liberal. What a bunch of religious bigots.

[mdmc]

31. thanks for the input

peace and low stress..

[Drunken Irishman]

55. Romney has about as much charisma as a dead goat.

[onehandle]

3. Mittens. It was always going to be Mittens. Now with Rubio as VP.

They will lose. Rubio will be their candidate in 2016 and our next President after President Obama.

[Joe Bacon]

51. Fundys will NOT vote for a Mormon.

I've said all along that the Republicans will nominate Jeb Bush in 2012. The only question is who will be Jeb's running mate and I think it could be Pawlenty.

[JoePhilly]

56. There is a reason that Beck went all "Fundie" at his last rally.

Fox News wants Romney because he is a corporate shill.

Beck is the Fox Mormon, positioned to make Mormons seem acceptable to the insane right wing, generally fundie, base.

[denverbill]

4. Voted for Barbour, but I almost can't wait to watch this.

Teabaggers still loves their Sarah, and the Republican establishment knows she's completely unfit for office. They may be able to convince her not to run, but if not, I cannot wait for the campaign when her opponents have to attack her lack of experience and knowledge. That will send teabaggers into a foaming-at-the-mouth, tongue-speaking frenzy, cause they will instantly hate anyone who dares to impugn their goddess.

My guess is Sarah will decide it's 'best for America' if she doesn't run, and just keeps on loading up on money from TV series, books, and speaking tours. If she runs, the GOP is doomed.

[secondwind]

5. Possible THUNE/RUBIO ticket.

[discopants]

8. Pence/Rubio

[quiller4]

14. I think you are right about Pence but I don't think Rubio will make

the ticket.

[HockeyMom]

9. While I agree Rubio is in the works,

what about Christie? Another up and coming darling, and even looks like Jebbie.:puke:

[jenmito]

11. Freepers see Christie as a RINO. But Rubio can hurt us badly. n/t

[AtomicKitten]

13. HuffPost is pushing Pence as a 2012 contender today. nt

[StevieM]

29. Yeah, I started predicting it would be Pence about a month ago. And I think he ultimately will get

the GOP nomination in 2012.

[Laelth]

15. Pawlenty. n/t

-Laelth

[Saturday]

17. Don't laugh...Jeb Bush.

He will become the media darling and they will build him up and talk the public into believing that he is the only sane Republican out there.

[Whisp]

38. I'm thinking that as well. Romney and Palin are out, no way.

and of course the Blitzers and the media will advertise for him constantly.

[customerserviceguy]

18. I used to say Caribou Barbie

and I still think she'd make a strong showing if she were to run, but I think she'll sit this one out at the urging of a tea party buddy who would like to run instead. That will leave things clear for Mittens, and while he won't get any fundie votes, I expect their support to be divided among a number of fundie-friendly candidates.

I'm switching to Mitt as the most likely candidate for the Rethugs, and he'll be the toughest to beat. While the fundies would rather see four more years of the devil they know as President, Romney will attract a lot of independents, and other folks in the mushy middle. If he's smart enough to pick a fundie VP, he stands a fair shot of winning, if the economy's still in the toilet.

[rasputin1952]

19. Good God...I thought I was picking veggies from produce looking

at that list...half to fully rotten veggies at that!

There is more baggage in that OP than at any time at Ellis Island...none of those possible candidates could win...I figure it will be some windbag that shows up over the next year or so...we shall see...Gingrich, Palin, it couldn't get any better for D's...:rofl:

[former9thward]

22. That's what we were saying about Reagan in 1979-80.

We were hoping he would get the nomination because he couldn't possibly win!

[mdmc]

32. really?

[DonCoquixote]

20. JEB

Do you think the GOP convention is in Tampa by accident. The GOP knows that they cannot afford to lose Florida, which is why Rubio and Rick Scott will be on the ground ready to steal the vote. Jeb will act as the Saviour, ready to save the GOP from Palin.

[flpoljunkie]

21. Romney/Rubio, the Bush family endorsed ticket.

[PurityOfEssence]

23. Wow, for once I'm with the majority: I say Pretty Boy Droid, too...

That Romney/Rubio ticket actually sounds a little scary...

The religious right will get over their disdain of Mormonism long enough to toe the line, and Romney's someone a casting agent could really get behind.

Then again, it's too early to tell by far. I'd be seriously surprised if Palin even gets a seeming start; she'll be reasoned with by the powers that be well before it really gets cookin'. Never forget: Republicans are really good at public relations, and they're aware what a ditzy spaz Madam Moosolini really is.

[Warren Stupidity]

24. Wasilla Grifter nt.

[AlinPA]

25. The teabaggers love Palin. She is an automatic for the nomination. nt

[Sheepshank]

26. RW evangelicals

will decide that even cultist Romney (who has a greater than a snowballs chance, in comparison to everyone else on the list) is better than Obama. They will wear their hypocrisy with pride while they check Romney's name on the ballot. The resurrected meme that Obama is a Muslim will be all the justification they need. "Better an American Cultist than a foreign Muslim"

[Robbins]

27. Republicans

As I keep saying to people here Republicans will nominate a frontrunner.This always happens.It Is democratic primarys where fights
happen and a frontrunner can lose.In 2008 Mccain was behind saint Rudy In national polls.While the MSM keep predicting him I was
one who said his past moderate social views to get elected NYC Mayor would come back and he would lose support.

The race Is between Palin,Romney,Huchabee,and Gingrich.Remember some far right people who hated Mccain saw Romney as alternate
while Romney has problems In general election that our side can use against him It will most likely be him or Palin.The teabaggers
could get Palin the nomination.Her biggest problem In a primary Is Gingrich and Huchabee could split the teabagger vote incresing
the likelyhood of Romney.

Thune and any others running will not get the nominationa nd are practcing for 2016 or to be VP and party leaders.

[Arkana]

28. Honestly I don't know.

If they nominate a known quantity they're screwed out of the gate because Obama beats all the Republicans with name recognition. If we see a Daniels or Thune candidacy, that's when things get dicey.

[StevieM]

30. Mike Pence (eom)

[tekisui]

33. Mittens and/or Newt.

It depends on the economy numbers. The worse it is, the more likely Mittens will be the goppers golden boy. If the economy is rebounding, Newt will be the choice.

[golfguru]

34. Daniels/Rubio

[Harry Monroe]

36. A turnip

[mdmc]

37. ..

[democrat2thecore]

39. Top of the ticket? Don't know. Veep? Paul Ryan -nt

[DCBob]

40. Jeb Bush..

He's the only one who could have a chance to beat Obama.

[totodeinhere]

49. Agreed. n/t

[KansasVoter]

41. I'll bet ANY DUer $1000 that it is not Palin. Jesus people!

[stevenleser]

42. Palin. I will be REALLY, REALLY surprised if she doesnt run

Her only chance for winning the nomination is 2012. After then, her star <gag> with Republicans will have faded to the extent that she will not have a chance ever again.

[mdmc]

43. ..

[leftynyc]

44. Mitch Daniels

gov of Indiana. He'll fly in under the radar and be an acceptable alternative to Sarah (I don't really think Mitt has a chance because of the early primaries in the south).

[Tom Rinaldo]

45. Huck

I think mainstream Republicans will accept him as a way of retaining support from Tea types while keeping Palin safely off the ticket - in either position. He can talk right wing populism but can claim to have some real political experience also. Plus they know that he knows how to campaign, unlike their failed attempt to prop up Fred Thompson last time.

[boston bean]

46. Christie

[mdmc]

47. ..

[Exilednight]

48. It won't be anyone listed on that chart.

Republicans are going to look outside the box. It will probably be a woman, but certainly not Palin.

[AlinPA]

50. Thune (SD) and Rubio (FL) are also possible to compete w/ Palin. nt

[oberliner]

52. Chris Christie

You heard it here first!

[Axrendale]

53. It will probably be Mitt Romney.

But I hope and pray that it will be Sarah Palin.

[onenote]

54. Huckabee/Cantor

Huckabee gives them their good old boy candidate, but one who has tried to cultivate a more moderate image, at least compared to firebreathers like Palin and Gingrich. Cantor is made to order VP candidate -- he gives the repubs a boost in two swing states: Virginia (where is a native son) and Florida (where his Jewish faith will help counteract concerns that Huck is a fundie). Romney/Cantor would be a possibility but for the fact that I'm not sure that the repub base is ready for a ticket made up of a Mormon and a Jew.

[davidpdx]

57. Pence is the Bob Dole of 2012