The presidential nominating process is a lot like the US Open tennis tournament. There is a final (the Republican v. Obama) a semifinal (the top conservative against the top moderate for the GOP nomination) and a quarter final (the conservatives against each other and the moderates competing together for the right to enter the semis).
Mitt Romney and Donald Trump are centrists. Businessmen economic growth free market types who will vie with each other for the moderate nomination. In 2008 Romney fought and lost to Huckabee for the conservative nod to oppose McCain. But because of his health care position he now has to fight it out on the moderate court.
Mike Huckabees withdrawal opens the way on the right court for Gingrich Bachmann and Daniels. Had Mike run he would have easily carried the day and faced Romney/Trump for the nomination. But with Mike out its an open field.
Bachmann has the most to gain from Huckabees withdrawal. Polling shows that the Tea Party types and the evangelicals are more or less the same people. With Mike out Michele has a clear shot at their support (once they get over Herman Cain and Ron Paul neither of whom can win -- and Paul shouldnt win). As the odd-woman-out dissenting from the Boehner deals with Obama holding out for fiscal conservatism and tough Republican bargaining she can pick up a lot of ground in a hurry.
Gingrichs announcement puts the onus on him to dispel the negatives that dog his campaign. All agree that he would be the best opponent to Obama in a debate and that he is the brightest best candidate would have. But many are scared off because of the negatives. He has six months to show them that they are wrong.
And then there is Mitch Daniels potentially the conservative establishments answer to Romney. Despite an absence of charisma his extraordinary record as governor puts him right in the thick of the hunt for the nomination. He along with his supporters (Scott Walker of Wisconsin Chris Christie of New Jersey and John Kasich of Ohio) have walked the walk not just talked the talk. His candidacy is a most attractive one.
Its too early to handicap the field but there is life after Huckabee.
The presidential nominating process is a lot like the US Open tennis tournament. There is a final (the Republican v. Obama) a semifinal (the top conservative against the top moderate for the GOP nomination) and a quarter final (the conservatives against each other and the moderates competing together for the right to enter the semis).
Mitt Romney and Donald Trump are centrists. Businessmen economic growth free market types who will vie with each other for the moderate nomination. In 2008 Romney fought and lost to Huckabee for the conservative nod to oppose McCain. But because of his health care position he now has to fight it out on the moderate court.
Mike Huckabees withdrawal opens the way on the right court for Gingrich Bachmann and Daniels. Had Mike run he would have easily carried the day and faced Romney/Trump for the nomination. But with Mike out its an open field.
Bachmann has the most to gain from Huckabees withdrawal. Polling shows that the Tea Party types and the evangelicals are more or less the same people. With Mike out Michele has a clear shot at their support (once they get over Herman Cain and Ron Paul neither of whom can win -- and Paul shouldnt win). As the odd-woman-out dissenting from the Boehner deals with Obama holding out for fiscal conservatism and tough Republican bargaining she can pick up a lot of ground in a hurry.
Gingrichs announcement puts the onus on him to dispel the negatives that dog his campaign. All agree that he would be the best opponent to Obama in a debate and that he is the brightest best candidate would have. But many are scared off because of the negatives. He has six months to show them that they are wrong.
And then there is Mitch Daniels potentially the conservative establishments answer to Romney. Despite an absence of charisma his extraordinary record as governor puts him right in the thick of the hunt for the nomination. He along with his supporters (Scott Walker of Wisconsin Chris Christie of New Jersey and John Kasich of Ohio) have walked the walk not just talked the talk. His candidacy is a most attractive one.
Its too early to handicap the field but there is life after Huckabee.
