Twelve for '12: A Dozen Republicans Who Could Be the Next President

[Bindare_Dundat]

[whork]

The only true conservative in the GOP and a good man too.

Obama/Romney same shit

[240 is Back]

dems gotta be thrilled this election.   they watched Mitt blink and succumb to the dems when he was in office.  He signed anti-gun bills and appointed liberals.  he appeased libs left and right.   They are gonna focus on keeping a dem senate - they know mitt will do as they say.  He's soft.  A guy like gingrich would crash the USA to the gorund before he'd let a dem senate win on a SCOTUS appointment.

But Mitt?  He's folded under much less stress.   Dems are happy.  They'd be terrified of a Santorum saying "Obama, sit down, you're a disgrace".  They know Romney is going to be safe and predictable and if/when they do try to "unleash" him, it's gonna sound so insincere.

[whork]

dems gotta be thrilled this election.   they watched Mitt blink and succumb to the dems when he was in office.  He signed anti-gun bills and appointed liberals.  he appeased libs left and right.   They are gonna focus on keeping a dem senate - they know mitt will do as they say.  He's soft.  A guy like gingrich would crash the USA to the gorund before he'd let a dem senate win on a SCOTUS appointment.

But Mitt?  He's folded under much less stress.   Dems are happy.  They'd be terrified of a Santorum saying "Obama, sit down, you're a disgrace".  They know Romney is going to be safe and predictable and if/when they do try to "unleash" him, it's gonna sound so insincere.

True

[Dos Equis]

"Funded by US Armed Forces"?  Uh, no. 

[Dos Equis]

May 3rd, 2012
Bachmann endorses Romney
Posted by
CNN Political Unit

(CNN) – Former presidential candidate Michele Bachmann threw her support behind Mitt Romney on Thursday.

Standing on stage with the presumptive GOP presidential nominee at an event in Portsmouth, Virginia, the Minnesota congresswoman said she was there to "lend my voice and my endorsement to Mitt Romney as our president to take the county back."

Bachmann invoked rhetoric she used frequently on the campaign trail and urged voters to limit President Barack Obama to one term in the White House.

"There is no question in my mind Americans will go to the polls and they’ll be saying `Mr. President you’re fired!’ and instead we will soundly stand for someone who believes in America," Bachmann said to loud cheers.

She pointed to what she called one of the biggest factors in the election –energy– and argued Romney would be the best leader to further tap into domestic resources.

"Mitt Romney’s future for America would be a legalization of American energy, a legalization of millions of high paying jobs," Bachmann said.

As she stepped aside for Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell to take the stage, Romney offered a gesture of approval.

"Beautifully done," he told her.

But the congresswoman hasn't always had kind words for her former opponent. Prior to ending her presidential bid in early January– shortly after a disappointing finish in the Iowa caucuses– Bachmann took several shots at Romney over the healthcare law he passed as Massachusetts governor.

"This is the seminal issue of Barack Obama's presidency. And this is the chief liability that Mitt Romney has going into the presidential race," Bachmann said in an interview with CNN on January 1.

She added: "He is the only governor in the history of the United States that has put into place socialized medicine in his state. And that's going to be our nominee to stand up against president Obama?"

The congresswoman, however, has repeatedly said in recent weeks it was only a matter of time before she would officially Romney.

As a candidate, Bachmann initially ran with large tea party appeal, frequently bucking what she described as the more establishment faction of the party that Romney represented.

Her endorsement comes weeks after former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum dropped out of the race, a move that essentially locked up the nomination for Romney.

Asked repeatedly why she was holding out in her support for Romney, Bachmann would not go into specifics but said she was working "behind the scenes, bringing together all factions of our party."

"As the line says in the 'Wizard of Oz,' 'All in good time, my pretty,'" Bachmann said on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" last week. "It will happen."

National Review first reported the news of Bachmann's upcoming endorsement.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/03/bachmann-endorses-romney/

[MM2K]

May 3rd, 2012
Bachmann endorses Romney
Posted by
CNN Political Unit

(CNN) – Former presidential candidate Michele Bachmann threw her support behind Mitt Romney on Thursday.

Standing on stage with the presumptive GOP presidential nominee at an event in Portsmouth, Virginia, the Minnesota congresswoman said she was there to "lend my voice and my endorsement to Mitt Romney as our president to take the county back."

Bachmann invoked rhetoric she used frequently on the campaign trail and urged voters to limit President Barack Obama to one term in the White House.

"There is no question in my mind Americans will go to the polls and they’ll be saying `Mr. President you’re fired!’ and instead we will soundly stand for someone who believes in America," Bachmann said to loud cheers.

She pointed to what she called one of the biggest factors in the election –energy– and argued Romney would be the best leader to further tap into domestic resources.

"Mitt Romney’s future for America would be a legalization of American energy, a legalization of millions of high paying jobs," Bachmann said.

As she stepped aside for Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell to take the stage, Romney offered a gesture of approval.

"Beautifully done," he told her.

But the congresswoman hasn't always had kind words for her former opponent. Prior to ending her presidential bid in early January– shortly after a disappointing finish in the Iowa caucuses– Bachmann took several shots at Romney over the healthcare law he passed as Massachusetts governor.

"This is the seminal issue of Barack Obama's presidency. And this is the chief liability that Mitt Romney has going into the presidential race," Bachmann said in an interview with CNN on January 1.

She added: "He is the only governor in the history of the United States that has put into place socialized medicine in his state. And that's going to be our nominee to stand up against president Obama?"

The congresswoman, however, has repeatedly said in recent weeks it was only a matter of time before she would officially Romney.

As a candidate, Bachmann initially ran with large tea party appeal, frequently bucking what she described as the more establishment faction of the party that Romney represented.

Her endorsement comes weeks after former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum dropped out of the race, a move that essentially locked up the nomination for Romney.

Asked repeatedly why she was holding out in her support for Romney, Bachmann would not go into specifics but said she was working "behind the scenes, bringing together all factions of our party."

"As the line says in the 'Wizard of Oz,' 'All in good time, my pretty,'" Bachmann said on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" last week. "It will happen."

National Review first reported the news of Bachmann's upcoming endorsement.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/03/bachmann-endorses-romney/

I lost A LOT of respect for Michelle Bauchman during this primary.

[Bindare_Dundat]

I lost A LOT of respect for Michelle Bauchman during this primary.

Endorsement from  the queen pyscho herself. wonderful.

[240 is Back]

May 3rd, 2012
Bachmann endorses Romney

her entire campaign was anti-romney.   

she just wants him to pay off her campaign debts? 

[Dos Equis]

They're all going to line up behind him.  Except for maybe Ron Paul. 

Gingrich says he's already endorsed Romney, still critical
Posted by
CNN's Kevin Liptak

Washington (CNN) – A day after a seemingly lukewarm embrace of presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich said Thursday he had fully endorsed the former Massachusetts governor and would enthusiastically campaign on his behalf.

"I thought I was endorsing him," Gingrich said of his speech Wednesday, in which he formally announced he was suspending his bid for the GOP nomination. Gingrich was speaking in an interview on "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."

– Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker

The former House speaker said he tried to make clear he was fully backing Romney, despite barely mentioning him during his departure speech.

"I said I want to campaign for him and he will appoint dramatically better judges than the president and he'll do a better job creating jobs than the president and he'll do far more to balance the budget. I went down the list of why Mitt Romney is better than Barack Obama," Gingrich said.

In his Wednesday event, Gingrich mentioned Romney only briefly, focusing instead on a lengthy list of issues he advocated as a candidate. He praised Romney, but portrayed the choice between the Republican and President Barack Obama as a no-brainer.

"I am asked sometimes is Mitt Romney conservative enough? And my answer is simple – compared to Barack Obama? This is not a choice between Mitt Romney and Ronald Reagan. This is a choice between Mitt Romney and the most radical leftist president in American history," Gingrich said in his speech.

When confronted Thursday with an Obama campaign video splicing together some of his harshest comments on Romney, Gingrich barely backed off his assertion, made during the height of the GOP primary battle, that Romney was a liar.

"The governor said some things that weren't true," Gingrich said.

He added he trusted Romney over Obama "100 times over."


As for potential names on Romney's vice presidential short list, Gingrich offered a slate of oft-mentioned politicians: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.

"You always have to consider three things," Gingrich said of the running mate selection. "Are they capable of being president? Are they philosophically compatible and will they help you win, in that order? And that's the order you've got to think about it. I think he's got a pretty wide range. I think our bench is actually pretty deep."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/03/gingrich-says-hes-already-endorsed-romney-still-critical/

[Dos Equis]

Aide: Santorum endorsement could come in 'next week or so'
Posted by
CNN's Kevin Liptak

(CNN) – John Brabender, a senior strategist to former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum, said Friday if the ex-GOP candidate endorses his former top rival Mitt Romney it will be "in the next week or so."

Brabender's comments came after a meeting between the one-time opponents, which he characterized as a productive, issues-driven conversation. Nonetheless, the session did not produce an immediate endorsement from Santorum.

"I think if something is going to happen it will happen sooner than later," Brabender said of a potential endorsement. Asked by CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley what "sooner" meant, Brabender said "probably in the next week or so, not in the next two months."

The meeting between Romney and Santorum took place Friday morning at Brabender's office in Pittsburgh, and lasted 90 minutes. In the interview Friday, Brabender broke down some of the important issues the two Republicans discussed.

"I think it was a very friendly yet certainly a very serious talk," Brabender said. "I think both of them are very focused on how to beat Barack Obama this fall. I think most of the conversation centered around that."

Brabender listed manufacturing and pro-family issues as some of the topics Santorum brought up during the meeting.

"I got the sense from spending a little time with both of them it was a very candid meeting, very productive," Brabender said, who also added the meeting itself was a one-on-one between Santorum and Romney, without aides or advisers present.

Brabender explained the span of time between the end of Santorum's campaign and the meeting was not a sign of lukewarm feelings, but rather an indication the former Pennsylvania senator is taking the endorsement process seriously.

"I think if an endorsement comes it'll have more weight and will be more helpful to Mitt Romney if indeed that happens," Brabender said.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/04/aide-says-santorum-endorsement-coming-in-next-week-or-so/?hpt=hp_t3

[Dos Equis]

Romney slowly but surely racking up GOP convention delegates
Published May 06, 2012
Associated Press

WASHINGTON –  Republican party leaders are starting to rally around Mitt Romney, but it's not exactly a stampede of support for the expected GOP presidential nominee.

With Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich out of the race, Romney is his party's pick to take on President Obama this fall, barring a catastrophe. While Romney talks like the nominee, the former Massachusetts governor has work to do to round up enough convention delegates to make it official.

Romney has 867 delegates, according to The Associated Press count. That's 277 short of the 1,144 he needs to win the nomination. Romney could get about 100 delegates from Tuesday's primaries in North Carolina, Indiana and West Virginia, if he dominates the voting in all three states.

But unless he persuades a lot more Santorum and Gingrich delegates to switch allegiances, Romney might not clinch until the Texas primary May 29.

"He's the projected candidate," said Peggy Lambert, a member of the Republican National Committee from Tennessee who endorsed Romney last week. "Let's go ahead and get this thing over with. Let's get as many delegates as we can."

Santorum and Gingrich have said they will help Romney defeat Obama, but neither has released his delegates to vote for Romney at the national convention in August. Santorum has 257 delegates and Gingrich has 130. In interviews during the past week, many said they were reluctant to back Romney without guidance from their former candidates.

The only other Republican still in the race, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, has 83 delegates.

Many committee members are getting behind Romney, though some are half-hearted about it. These party leaders -- three from each state and U.S. territory -- automatically attend the national convention and, in most states, can support any candidate they choose.
 
They will be asked to donate, volunteer and work for Republican candidates up and down the ticket, making their support for Romney an important barometer of enthusiasm and unity among GOP loyalists.

"I think the process has narrowed down and we've got a chance to hear all the candidates and all the debate," said Jonathan Barnett, an RNC member from Arkansas who serves in the state Legislature. "Really, he's pretty much the only one left standing. It's time to get on board."

Alabama GOP chairman Bill Armistead sounded more enthusiastic. He said he's recruiting volunteers to help Romney in Florida, where the race will be much closer than in Alabama.
"The No. 1 objective of the people I talk to is to defeat Barack Obama," Armistead said.

The RNC has 168 members. Some are required to support the candidate who wins the primary in their state. The AP has identified 120 who are free to support any candidate they choose, regardless of the primaries.

Romney has endorsements from 57 of them, according to the AP's latest survey, conducted in the past week after Gingrich's plans to leave the race became public. Paul has one endorsement while 60 RNC members are holding off on endorsing anyone, even with the race essentially decided. (Two RNC spots won't be filled until June).

Some RNC members say they have yet to endorse Romney because of local concerns.

Kentucky GOP chairman Steve Robertson said he isn't endorsing anyone out of deference to Paul's son, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. In Oregon, Nebraska and New Mexico, RNC members say they won't endorse anyone before their states' primaries, which have yet to be held.

Back when the primary race was competitive, some RNC members questioned Romney's conservative credentials. In the latest survey, no RNC member was willing to say he or she had a problem with him.

But Richard Giessel, a Santorum delegate in Alaska, wasn't shy about his disdain for Romney, calling him "a big government guy."

"We've got too big a government now," said Giessel, who said he now plans to support Ron Paul.

Romney added 22 RNC endorsements since the last AP survey in early April, and he has support from every region of the country. None of Romney's rivals was able to gain much traction among the RNC delegates. Gingrich had four endorsements at one point, more than any of the others.

Drew Johnson, a Gingrich delegate from South Carolina, said he thinks the state's delegates will unite behind Romney. South Carolina, a solidly Republican state, was one of only two states Gingrich won in the primaries.

"Romney has my endorsement and he can count on South Carolina to be one of his biggest cheering sections at the national convention," said Johnson, who leads the Chester County Republicans. "My focus is crystal clear for the upcoming election. We will be making calls to any state it is needed and even send South Carolina activists to real swing states to defeat Obama."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/06/romney-slowly-but-surely-racking-up-gop-convention-delegates/

[240 is Back]

romney's performance against this watered down field is kinda sad.

santorum, newt, ron paul... they're B-list candidates by any measurement.

he hasn't faced a heavyweight powerhouse yet, with the same kind of money and/or better organization. 

[Soul Crusher]

romney's performance against this watered down field is kinda sad.

santorum, newt, ron paul... they're B-list candidates by any measurement.

he hasn't faced a heavyweight powerhouse yet, with the same kind of money and/or better organization. 

Yet he is being Ghettobama in Gallup today.

[Dos Equis]

Santorum endorses former rival Romney as GOP presidential candidate
Published May 07, 2012
Associated Press

WASHINGTON –  Former presidential hopeful Rick Santorum urged his supporters to back fellow Republican Mitt Romney's campaign Monday in a late-night email that ignored that Santorum once calling Romney the "worst Republican in the country" during their bitter contest.

Santorum, a former senator from Pennsylvania and a newly minted celebrity among conservatives, said that the one-time rivals would unite to deny President Barack Obama's re-election. But in a nod that the wounds had not yet healed, he reminded his supporters of the deep differences between the two and that misgivings had not yet abated.

"The primary campaign certainly made it clear that Gov. Romney and I have some differences. But there are many significant areas in which we agree," Santorum wrote, citing common ground in economic, social and foreign policy.

He added: "Above all else, we both agree that President Obama must be defeated. The task will not be easy. It will require all hands on deck if our nominee is to be victorious. Gov. Romney will be that nominee and he has my endorsement and support to win this the most critical election of our lifetime."

It was a sharp turnabout from what he had to say about Romney in Wisconsin: "Pick any other Republican in the country. He is the worst Republican in the country to put up against Barack Obama."

Romney visited Santorum for more than an hour on Friday at the Pittsburgh office of Santorum's longtime strategist. The session covered many of Santorum's concerns about Romney's campaign, especially the sincerity of his vow to repeal Democrats' national health care law that was modeled on one Romney signed into law as Massachusetts governor. Those worries, it seems, were assuaged during their private session that ended without Santorum's public backing.

"And while I had concerns about Gov. Romney making a case as a candidate about fighting against Obamacare, I have no doubt if elected he will work with a Republican Congress to repeal it and replace it with a bottom up, patient, not government, driven system," Santorum said in an email that allowed him to bypass a public event with the two standing arm in arm.

Santorum also urged Romney's campaign to incorporate some of Santorum's former aides and advisers to ensure conservatives are represented. That too seems to have begun. Santorum's former campaign manager has signed on with Romney to help his outreach to conservatives, a voting bloc that was skeptical of Romney's changed positions on bedrock issues such as abortion rights.

"You can be sure that I will work with the governor to help him in this task to ensure he has a strong team that will support him in his conservative policy initiatives," Santorum said.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/07/santorum-endorses-former-rival-romney-as-gop-presidential-candidate/

[Dos Equis]

Delegate count after yesterday's votes in Indiana, NC, and WV:

Romney - 925
Santorum - 281
Gingrich - 145
Paul - 82

http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html

[Option D]

Delegate count after yesterday's votes in Indiana, NC, and WV:

Romney - 925
Santorum - 281
Gingrich - 145
Paul - 82

http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html

Stunning

[Dos Equis]

Stunning

Predictable.

[Dos Equis]

Lining up behind Romney.  Whether they hold their noses or not, they'll all be supporting him.  "They" meaning Republicans. 

Gingrich to Stump for Romney in Georgia
Saturday, 12 May 2012
 
Newt Gingrich will begin campaigning for Mitt Romney next week, the former GOP presidential candidate told Fox News.

Gingrich will throw his support behind the presumptive Republican presidential nominee at two events in Georgia, including the state's GOP convention, Fox News reported.

Gingrich, who represented Georgia in the House, suspended his campaign on May 2.

A Gingrich campaign spokesman told CNN on Friday night that the former House speaker also will campaign for Romney in Las Vegas.

“I am asked sometimes is Mitt Romney conservative enough?” Gingrich said when he suspended his campaign. “And my answer is simple – compared to Barack Obama? This is not a choice between Mitt Romney and Ronald Reagan. This is a choice between Mitt Romney and the most radical leftist president in American history."

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Saturday told Fox News that he will be at two Romney events, including the Oklahoma GOP convention in Norman, Fox News reported.

http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/Georgia-Republican-campaign/2012/05/12/id/438853

[Dos Equis]

Current popular vote tally:
      
Romney - 6,354,712   
Santorum - 3,576,171   
Gingrich - 2,525,766   
Paul - 1,554,822

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_vote_count.html

[Soul Crusher]

Current popular vote tally:
      
Romney - 6,354,712   
Santorum - 3,576,171   
Gingrich - 2,525,766   
Paul - 1,554,822

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_vote_count.html

ABO.

[Dos Equis]

Cain endorses Romney, urges Republicans to 'get over' doubts about presumptive nominee
Published May 16, 2012
FoxNews.com

Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain endorsed Mitt Romney Wednesday afternoon, calling on disgruntled conservatives who didn't consider Romney their first choice to "get over it."

Cain announced his support for Romney in Washington, D.C.

"I've met with him privately and now I'm telling everyone publicly, if Mitt Romney wasn't your favorite candidate for the Republican nomination, get over it," Cain said in a written statement. "We need unity to take back the White House, the Senate and keep control of the House of Representatives."

The backing comes as Romney comes close to winning enough delegates to clinch the GOP nomination. Cain had previously backed Newt Gingrich, who is now out of the race.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/16/cain-expected-to-endorse-romney/?test=latestnews

[Dos Equis]

After Nebraska and Oregon yesterday:

Romney - 961
Santorum - 274
Gingrich - 145
Paul - 114

http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/dates/20120515

I think he reaches the magic number when he wins Texas on 29 May.

[MM2K]

After Nebraska and Oregon yesterday:

Romney - 961
Santorum - 274
Gingrich - 145
Paul - 114

http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/dates/20120515

I think he reaches the magic number when he wins Texas on 29 May.

I need to get out there tomorow to vote for Mitt and Ted Cruz.

[Dos Equis]

Popular vote tally:

Romney - 6,652,234
Santorum - 3,622,918
Gingrich - 2,548,223
Paul - 1,601,986

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_vote_count.html

When you look at the number of states and delegates won by Romney, along with the popular vote, this really wasn't close at all.