New favourite emerges to challenge Obama
Jonathan Jones 5:52pm
There's a new favourite in the race for the Republican nomination to take on Barack
Obama in 2012. Yesterday saw Mitt Romney hobbled from his number one spot - on betting website Intrade at least - by Texan Governor
Rick Perry.
Romney had been seen as the candidate most likely to secure his party's nomination next year ever since he finished second to John McCain in the 2008 primaries. However, support for Romney has never reached the levels expected of frontrunners, with many Republicans keen to vote for someone more conservative. Rick Perry may just be that man.
Perry's position as (narrow) favourite is somewhat surprising when you consider that he's not officially running yet. It demonstrates the weakness of the current field that the man considered most likely to win is not even in it. It's not just Romney who's failed to spark with his party's voters: neither Tim Pawlenty nor Jon Huntsman (who were for a long time the second and third favourites) have seen their support rise significantly since they began their campaigns.
Instead, the Republican base shifted its support to more conservative candidates. First, it went towards Michele Bachmann, who is now the clear favourite to win in Iowa and even leads some national polling after a strong performance in last month's debate. And now, as speculation mounts that he will declare his candidacy in the next few weeks, it's moving towards Rick Perry.
Previous
Tariq
July 26th, 2011 6:30pm Report this commentNext month, Perry is hosting a prayer rally in a Dallas stadium that will feature a clergyman whose endorsement McCain refused after the clergyman referred to the Catholic Church as "the whore of Babylon". That alone should allow Obama to comfortably win Ohio, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania if Perry is his opponent.
DavidDP
July 26th, 2011 6:37pm Report this commentAs long as you believe in Jesus, Perry is in your corner.
He's also the man who ignored his own law in order to ensure he could kill someone.
Sounds better off in a place like Iran or Saudia Arabia.
Right On
July 26th, 2011 6:57pm Report this commentStrong Governor, Fiscal Conservative, strong on state's rights, overseen outstanding economic performance in Texas, strong supporter of low tax, small government economy.
Said it many times before, Perry is the strongest choice for the GOP and for America.
Verity
July 26th, 2011 7:54pm Report this commentDavid DP - May one assume that if you are ever assaulted on a Texas street, you will not wish a citizen who has a licence to carry concealed blowing the brains out of your assailant?
Jeremy
July 26th, 2011 7:56pm Report this commentHe looks as though he's about to launch into a rendition of "Mammie".
I suppose that's politics in America for you...
Baron
July 26th, 2011 9:09pm Report this commentin my book anyone's better than the community organiser.
callingallcomets
July 26th, 2011 9:46pm Report this commentNaturally, this being the Speccie our esteemed and well informed writer “forgets” to mention the strong showing of another non runner...I wonder why?
"In the survey, by the Washington Post and ABC News, Palin comes in a solid second in the Republican field, behind frontrunner Mitt Romney but ahead of the surging Michele Bachmann. Palin is also well ahead of another possible GOP candidate, Texas Governor Rick Perry"
http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/07/without-running-palin-stays-near-top-gop-field#ixzz1TFK5hl1V
Frank P
July 26th, 2011 10:43pm Report this commentJJ
Perry? Has someone been squeezing your pear?
FvH
July 27th, 2011 7:43am Report this commentYet another religious nutter!
Can't the Repubs find an intelligent , sane candidate for once?
Austin Barry
July 27th, 2011 7:54am Report this commentAccording to the Huffington Post of 20 June 2011, rumours that Rick is gay are likely to resurface if he runs.
Rick's response is unequivocal:
"Perry said the rumors "are not correct in any shape, form or fashion. These are irresponsible. They're salacious. They're hurtful to my family."
Which, as with all such denials, suggests that he is a glorious old queen given to shrieking 'Remember the Alamo!' in moments of gay abandon - as the carefully cropped photograph illustrates.
He has no chance of being nominated by the butch stalwarts of the GOP.
Right On
July 27th, 2011 9:23am Report this commentGood to see the depth of attack on Perry stretches to whisperings that he's gay and the shocking revelation that (in a highly religious country) he has a strong faith.
All US Presidential elections come down to a single question - in 2004 it was "which of these two will take the decision to keep us safe" - they backed Bush. In 2008 it was "which of these two is least like George Bush" - Obama won, in 2012 it'll be "which of these two can help the economy" - Obama's pathetic three years in the White House suggest that either Perry or Romney would be better answers to that question.
Yosemite Sam
July 27th, 2011 9:32am Report this commentI wonder where Herman Cain is at the moment? He seems a highly effective performer, with the right conservative credentials, and, as he himself as said he is the 'dark horse' candidate. Just the man to take on Obama?
StephenW
July 27th, 2011 9:39am Report this commentPeter Schiff for President!
http://angloaustria.blogspot.com/2008/10/will-somebody-please-make-peter-schiff.html
FvH
July 27th, 2011 10:01am Report this commentOh yes he has a strong "faith" - #godcreatedtheworldin6days
And
#whereisevolutionnevidence
Do us a freakin' favour Repubs. and find a real candidate!
Right On
July 27th, 2011 10:22am Report this comment@ FvH - how about a community organiser with very little experience, a very partisan voting record (when he bothered to turn up), a pure political opportunist who is either too timid, or too lazy to lead?
That seems to pass for "a real candidate" these days.....
Matthew Blott
July 27th, 2011 10:25am Report this comment@ Right On
I'm afraid rumours aren't so easy to dismiss. John Kerry and John McCain both fought heroically in the Vietnam war but that didn't stop the man who got daddy to help him avoid the conflict rubbishing both of them with his dirty tricks team.
TrevorsDen
July 27th, 2011 10:48am Report this commentVerity - you miss the point - no one will assault you on the streets in Texas, precisely because any assailant would risk being blown away.
FvH
July 27th, 2011 10:55am Report this comment@Stephen W - Schiff would be interesting but perhaps more effective in finance role?
@Right On - do grow up and get with the real world or toddle off back to Labour List and keep this forum troll free
Thucydides
July 27th, 2011 10:58am Report this commentMaybe not in 2012, but sooner or later America is going to find that it has elected one of these fruitcakes as prez. At least that moron GW had daddy and the GOP establishment behind him to tell him what (not) to do, but Perry, Bachmann et al don't seem to.
(After Norway, I had rather thought that Verity would keep the wrap on her odd gun fetish for a while - but no.)
Right On
July 27th, 2011 11:09am Report this comment@ FvH - any chance you could offer some sort of insight beyond name calling or am I to presume that "the real world" I have to join is one where only your view - apparently that having religion makes you unfit for office and that a man who has abley Governed the 2nd biggest state in the Union for 10 years isn't a "real candidate - has abandoned any debate?
THOMAS KNIGHT
July 27th, 2011 11:20am Report this commentHighly amusing ... is this really the best the Republicans have to offer - another religious nutter, and one who doesn't have the guts to come out of the closet at that.
Kevyn Bodman
July 27th, 2011 1:10pm Report this comment@Thucydides: A bot OT put it's a point that needs to be made,
If there was a right to carry concealed weapons in Norway the death toll would have been less.
FvH
July 27th, 2011 1:46pm Report this commentMaybe he thinks his "God" will cure him of his "disease"!
#intelligentdesignisalegitimatescience
David Lindsay
July 27th, 2011 6:57pm Report this comment“For all his new found commitment to hyper-conservatism,” Mike Huckabee recently wrote of Perry in an email to supporters, “he’ll get to explain why he supported pro-abortion, pro-same sex marriage Rudy Giuliani last time.”
Baron
July 27th, 2011 8:25pm Report this commentThucydides, sir, the year Blair confiscated hand-held guns (1997), the number of accidents involving these weapons stood around 4,000, within seven years of the new Firearms Act in force, that number almost doubled.
What do ya make of it then?
Frederick de Fossard
July 28th, 2011 12:49am Report this commentWhy haven't the Republicans realised that if they want electoral success, Huntsman is the way to go? Instead they're too tribal to support him because he was a diplomat for Obama. Couldn't Huntsman's team effectively spin that to suggest that he's such a true patriot that he stands over party politics?
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