Wall Street Journal today touts Indiana's Mike Pence as a potential frontrunner for the GOP nomination who can unite all wings of the party:
"When conservative activist and former presidential candidate Gary Bauer scans the potential 2012 Republican field, not much excites him. "All the obvious frontline names have all the usual pluses and minuses," Mr. Bauer says.
But in considering one candidate, Mr. Bauer sees only qualities that he likes. Indiana Rep. Mike Pence is a military and fiscal hawk who frequently plugs his Christian credentials. To some, he's the potential candidate best able to unite two wings of the Republican Party—its fiscal conservatives and social conservatives.
"He is definitely the guy to watch," says Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association, a group that opposes gay marriage and abortion. . .
Mr. Pence usually draws under 5% in voter surveys testing the emerging 2012 field. But the excitement he's stirred among a swath of conservatives—he won a straw poll at the prominent Values Voter Summit in September—points both to the fluidity of the 2012 lineup and the dearth of names rousing interest among the religious right, a dependable GOP voting bloc. . .
A former radio personality, the 51-year-old Mr. Pence became a darling among fiscal conservatives for opposing two of President George W. Bush's signature initiatives, the 2001 No Child Left Behind education act and the 2003 Medicare Part D drug benefit. He saw both as violating his party's small-government principles. . .
Mr. Pence favors reducing the size of the federal government, and even the power of the presidency. He wants to amend the Constitution both to ban abortions and to allow marriage only between men and women. . .
It was his speech at the Values Voter Summit, a marquee annual event among social conservative groups, which did the most to rouse support. The speech, with its calls to ban all federal abortion funding and stem-cell research, drew standing ovations and chants of "President Pence."
When summit attendees cast ballots in a straw poll for president, Mr. Pence came in first, ahead of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and others. . .
The Indiana lawmaker, who first won election to Congress in 2000, also has the backing of budget hawks such as Chris Chocola, a former Indiana congressman who is now president of the fiscally conservative Club for Growth. 'Mike has the retail appeal of Huckabee but is an across-the-board conservative with all the credentials. There is no one else like that,' says Mr. Chocola."
5 Comments
Even if he doesn't run, he is right now putting the issues front and center. That makes it more difficult for the others to remain silent.
I am tired of "unisex" presidential candidates. I want a real choice instead of candidates who are "a little bit different" from each other.
We have witnessed a blurring of the lines between Republicans and Democrats. The term "Republican" doesn't mean much right now. Lisa Murkowski voted for all four of the major pieces of legislation which Democrats were trying to pass in the lame duck session.
We have seen the advent of Tea Party candidates who won an astounding one third of the races in which they ran. Change is in the air.
I'm putting Republicans on notice right now that I will NOT vote for their presidential nominee if that person is going to hedge on "social issues". I want commitment and a solid track record.
Presidential ballot access has been opened up in many states. Independent and third party candidates now have a real shot and, at minimum, can be heard, influence the debate and be a spoiler if necessary. If that's what it takes, that's what it takes!
Republicans; don't try to give me an Obama with an "R" after his name. Why vote Republican if we are going to end up with another socialist?
No religious fundamentalist candidate can win the nomination. The Republican party leadersip will not allow it.
If the Republican leadership won't allow an openly Christian candidate to be a presidential nominee then the days of the Republican Party are numbered.
I like Mike Pence, although he is weak on economics (as are most good solid family values Republicans).
I will probably stake my hopes on him, he is the best by far I have seen among the Republican contenders.
Eventually the Tea Party will have to be taught the difference between the Invisible Hand swindle (invented precisely as a justification for the Imperial policy of keeping the colonies under the boot as raw material suppliers) and the directly opposed American System of political economy, which is the single most powerful economic wealth-creation engine the world has ever seen.
Don't worry, Mr. Pence. Soon enough you will see that our beloved nation has been swindled into penury by the agents of the Invisible Hand- the same Invisible Hand against which the American Revolution was fought in the first place.
How strange that the Tea Party has forgotten this.
A thoughtful comment, Rick!
Let us not forget that there are those who are actively working very hard to help political groups to "forget". The homosexual activist agenda, and everything which goes with it, is backed by the Communist Party USA. The communist modus operandi is to infiltrate and destory from within.
Let us not forget what Comrade Atkins of the Communist Party USA had to say regarding the Democratic Party:
"Our members participate in the Democratic primary process at the local level, volunteer in GOTV efforts, and many take part in the platform-drafting process in their local Democratic committees. More participate in Democratic-aligned outfits such as Organize for America, Progressive Democrats of America, or the Campaign for America’s Future."
http://www.politicalaffairs.net/living-in-an-era-of-change/
Do you think they would do this with the Democratic Party but not with the Republican Party or the Tea Party? If they corrupt all political parties we will have their agenda no matter which we vote for.