Redstate

The NH Dem polls were right about everything but the order of the top 2 finishers. They were right about Edwards finishing 3rd and Hillary and Obama being the top 2 candidates.

Something happens to a lot of voters when they see that their guy is not in the top 2: they switch gears and vote for one of the top 2.

It makes sense.

If I'm a fan of Giuliani, but he has no chance of winning, I should switch to someone who does have a shot at winning.

Someone with executive experience.

Someone whose made his money outside of working for the government.

Someone who would put justices on the Supreme Court that valued free speech over McCain-Feingold's gag order.

Did I give out too many hints for you?

He has character and class.

And he's a head taller than McCain.

And I bet Sen. McCain has some stories on why he's not as tall as some guys are...

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Huckabee will be with us all the way to the convention. I think it is a good thing myself, being a Social Conservative. And I think it is good for my candidate John McCain.

That love fest is the real threat to Romney, even if he wins Florida and gains the MO. Hopefully Rudy will counter by doing well in Florida and beyond, diluting any influence Huckabee may have.

Go ahead, make your jokes, Mr. Jokey... Joke-maker. But let me hit you with some knowledge. Quit now.

-White Goodman

too early!

Why wouldn't McCain start devouring those leads if Huck can't actually win some races? Huckabee is a regional and niche candidate and the yanks won't like him. I will concede a similar argument could be made about Giuliani's appeal in the south, but Rudy has national stature and experience governing as a conservative.

Somebody on the ticket needs some core conservative credentials on some of the issues other than national security.

The Patriot Room

I think Huckabee wins Georgia and Oklahoma, maybe even Alabama. He is up in some polls in Texas. He will gather a lot of delegates in other states I think. If Romney wins Florida, then McCain will need to do well in other states. If we go to a convention, I do think it is possible that Huckabee holds the cards for the evendial winner. And yes, I think that means a V.P. bid. Huckabee and McCain like each other, and that helps. Huckabee could deliver most all southern states and Arkansas, even if Hillary runs. It makes more sense than many on this site want to believe

I can safely say that the South (or at least the Deep South) can safely be ignored when the GOP is picking its nominee. Alabama, Mississippi, etc. wouldn't vote for a Democratic president if it were Robert E. Lee (D) v. The Devil Himself (R).

Focus on the "Semi-South" (Missouri, Virginia, etc.), but there's no need to worry about losing the Deep South with any GOP candidate.

no matter where they come from. And Huckabee will get plenty of them.

expressed above that Giuliani might ostracize some in the South like Huckabee would in the North, albeit to a lesser extent. I was simply saying that there's no need to worry about that as long as Giuliani has an "R" after his name.
Huckabee might try to play king-maker with his delegates, but I don't think it will be an issue. Either Romney or McCain will breakout after Florida and clinch the nomination by late February/early March.

I wholeheartedly agree.

I'm a bit disappointed in my fellow Alabamians that my candidate isn't holding the lead in the primary, but you're right. It really doesn't matter much in the general. It will to some, but against Hillobama? Oh h3ll no!

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~ Beth ~

I was born and raised in Mobile (you know we brought Mardi Gras to America...frickin' New Orleans just copied us!).

I left for school in '99 and haven't made my way back yet. On nasty Baltimore days like this one (and most of the rest of them), I really miss the place, though.

who has now been transplanted to the cold mountains of Virginia. Small world.

In fact, we do just that: the delegates of those states are doubled through lots of bonus delegates, so their voice in the convention will be magnified.

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It would be fun to see another map like this one in 2008:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:ElectoralCollege1964-Large.png

(with Arizona traded for Arkansas of course).

for sure. I am just stating a possiblity and an opionion. I would support any person John McCain would pick for V.P., even Mitt Romney. And don't laugh, it is possible as well.

I'm not supporting Huckabee in the primary, but I'm always happy to see the reliably Republican South have more of a voice in the process. :)

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~ Beth ~

The Rudy ones were just the first haters to come out and make it known. People hate Mitt Romney, people hate Mike Huckabee, people hate John McCain, everyone hates Ron Paul. Whoever gets the nomination will have to deal with alienating a significant segment of the base.

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Finrod's First Law of Bandwidth:
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but it takes the bandwidth of ten thousand.

Bush. He had it with hello.

He'd lose some, or even a lot of SoCon voters. But Rudy is one of those candidates who will pick voters from the other halls, both I and D. People like him. America's Mayor and all that.

Plus, people trust him on Terror. He's a good leader, and he gets the crowds going. That is of immense value in the general. All around, he'd make a great candidate in the general.

Former Fredhead, Current McCainiac
absentee

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~ Beth ~