This Should Help Wash Romney Down
Iowahawk joked earlier today, "You'll EAT your Romney and you'll LIKE it, mister!" And while I certainly agree that there's absolutely no tactical reason to settle on any candidate this early, I have been practicing saying "President Romney" just so I can get used to it.
But there are some interesting numbers coming out of New Hampshire last night that might provide some comfort. Jay Cost at The Weekly Standard notes:
A surprising twist: Romney did better among Republicans in 2012 than he did in 2008, but he did notably worse among “very conservative” voters. These were his strongest backers in 2008, but this time around they split between Newt Gingrich, who won 17 percent, Ron Paul, who won 18 percent, and Rick Santorum, who won 26 percent.
So, Romney’s voting coalition was slightly more upscale, slightly more Republican, and slightly less conservative than it was in 2008. On net, these shifts brought him about 6 percent more of the vote and a solid win against a divided and weak field.
Interestingly, Romney’s coalition in 2012 was substantially more conservative and Republican than McCain’s was in 2008.
At the end of the piece is the kicker, though. Voters were asked if they'd be satisfied with various candidates. Romney won that question by far, both in terms of most voters being satisfied with him and the fewest voters being dissatisfied with him.
It's not exciting. He's certainly far from an ideal candidate, particularly in a year where a candidate could and should run against Obamacare. And in a time where we need radical change, his marginal improvement over McCain probably isn't much comfort. But it could be worse. The GOP could be about to nominate McCain.
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Jun '10
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
I still have reservations about Romney, though I now support him as the best candidate (Mitch Daniels, where are you?). I was pleased with his full-throated defense of free-enterprise last night and the fact that he aimed most of his guns at Obama. It was certainly one of his best speeches.
Edited on Jan 11 at 6:54amMay '10
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
I'm in the group who would self identify as "very conservative". I would have voted for Santorum. I'm still hoping Santorum can mount a serious challenge to Romney in South Carolina and Florida. But I will be content if Romney wins.
He's a good man, dedicated, and highly talented.
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
tabula rasa: I was pleased with his full-throated defense of free-enterprise last night and the fact that he aimed most of his guns at Obama. It was certainly one of his best speeches. · Jan 11 at 6:53am
It was a fantastic speech and did a lot to allay conservative fears, I bet.
Jun '10
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
Last time, the issue was Bush. This time the issue is Obama. And, the players are different. I wouldn't expect much carryover from last time.
Mar '11
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
But it could be worse. The GOP could be about to nominate McCain. ·
Instead, we are nominating the guy who couldn't beat McCain, to run against the guy who could.
oboy...i'm all excited.
He probably is the best we can do.
Nov '11
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
This is a good reminder: what is the most dangerous to our liberty (not to mention health)? Obamacare. Romney has said he will try to fix it, right? Not nearly good enough.
Jun '10
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
Percival
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
But it could be worse. The GOP could be about to nominate McCain. ·
Instead, we are nominating the guy who couldn't beat McCain, to run against the guy who could.
oboy...i'm all excited.
He probably is the best we can do. · Jan 11 at 7:00am
McCain lost (bigger) when the main issue unexpectedly became banks in trouble and the collapse of the housing market. If that was the main issue at the start of the race, McCain would probably not have been the 2008 nominee. Maybe Romney wasn't ready at that point either, but he seems to be ready now.
Aug '10
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
Percival
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
But it could be worse. The GOP could be about to nominate McCain. ·
Instead, we are nominating the guy who couldn't beat McCain, to run against the guy who could.
oboy...i'm all excited.
He probably is the best we can do. · Jan 11 at 7:00am
I just wish he would get McLame off the stage with him. Did you see Bob Dole campaigning with Bush in 2000??
Apr '11
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
So if all goes well for the Republicans, this time next year our national leadership will consist of:
John Boehner
Mitch McConnell
Mitt Romney
Viva la revolucion!
Jun '10
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
Some of us have been saying it for five years, and wondering what in the world everyone else was on about. Competence? Check. Loves the country? Check. Articulate? Check. No skeletons? Heck, Mitt, doesn't have a closet. The biggest rap seems to have been that he's not exciting. Well, we elected Mr. Excitement last time. How's that working out for you? My son and I were in the audience at CPAC when Romney dropped out of the race last time. I told Brian, "You've just seen the last decent man in American politics. I hope to God he'll be back. " Four years later both kids and I are making phone calls for him. This is how politics is supposed to work in this country. Win or lose, agree or disagree, it's a wonderful thing to be part of the process.
Sep '11
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
So, we're "stuck" with Romney. I tend to look at a glass half full as a glass half full. It's not going to be as bad as his opponents think, but not as good as his fans would have us believe.
However, when do we start focusing on Congress? When do we do what we can to make sure Boehner is no longer Speaker, or at the very least, has to deal with a much larger conservative block within the Republican caucus? This is how we're going to have to balance against the less-than-conservative instincts of Romney.
Jun '10
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
Romney said he will issue a 50 state exemption to Obamacare on his first day in office. Stick a fork in it. Done. Then we can try a real fix instead of a government power grab railroaded through without a single Republican vote.
Feb '11
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
Watching TV, I thought I saw Chris Christie on stage with Mitt Romney in New Hampshire the night before the New Jersey primary. Nothing beats the influence of a good stump speaker - both to the benefit of the electorate and the candidate. Three cheers for an inspired speech from Mitt Romney (win speech for NH primary). More please.
Apr '11
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
That's not going to end Obamacare.
A Romney victory will cement socialized medicine permanently into American life.
Just as surely as Eisenhower made the New Deal.
Jun '10
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
Assume for a moment that Romney is elected president and the Republicans win both branches of Congress. What next? If you expect a radical rollback of the entitlement state, you're going to be deeply disappointed. Our professional political class desires nothing more than the status quo - their turn to make hay while the sun shines. They will do whatever possible to kick the can down the road. Only it's no longer a can; it's a grenade.
Jun '10
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
billy
That's not going to end Obamacare.
A Romney victory will cement socialized medicine permanently into American life.
Just as surely as Eisenhower made the New Deal. · Jan 11 at 8:00am
The heavy lifting of repeal has to be done by Congress. The difference is that there will be a President in the White House to sign the repeal. That promise is not limited to Romney, but includes Romney. Why wouldn't he sign the repeal? To refuse to sign is just making lots of new enemies for no reason. That's not Romney's style.
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
Friend of mine who works at a hedge fund told me over dinner last week that he's a Romney supporter. When I asked why, he said, "It's not that Romney is that much different from Obama — he's not. But sometimes when morale is down in the dumps, and people have lost confidence in the guy in charge, well, then it's just time to fire the CEO and replace him with someone else, even if in practice the new guy isn't all that different from the old guy."
Enthusiasm is going to be an issue for conservatives going forward into the general.
Apr '11
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
etoiledunord
billy
.
Just as surely as Eisenhower made the New Deal. · Jan 11 at 8:00am
The heavy lifting of repeal has to be done by Congress. The difference is that there will be a President in the White House to sign the repeal. That promise is not limited to Romney, but includes Romney. Why wouldn't he sign the repeal? To refuse to sign is just making lots of new enemies for no reason. That's not Romney's style. · Jan 11 at 8:10am
Mitch McConnell. John Boehner.
Will they do the heavy lifting?
Feb '11
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
I happily voted for Romney yesterday. He was not my first choice, but I was not a late decider. For my top choices -- Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Nikki Haley, Bob McDonnell -- it was too early for the one-slot. Other top choices seemed to be excluded by the unfair, but real, political correctness of our times -- Haley Barbour and Mitch Daniels. I briefly thought hard about Herman Cain, until he self-immolated. The others in the race either flamed out or didn't have the requisite executive experience. You could say I "settled" on Romney and it would be true (a victory of reason over emotion). But after hearing his Reaganesque victory speech last night I was fired up too. I have come to the conclusion that he will win and -- as importantly -- he'll effectively put in place the long term course correction needed. For the first time in his political life he won't be a political minority. That combination portends savvy boldness.
Edited on Jan 11 at 8:53amSep '10
Re: This Should Help Wash Romney Down
If Romney wins he and the moderates in the GOP will join with the Dens and continue to spend, regulate and grow government and call it bipartisanship. It would not surprise me if we had an unnecessary war. I have seen this movie before and did not enjoy it. I doubt if the sequel will be any better.