The Republican who could have beaten Obama in the 2012 election

[Rey C.]

In watching the chat shows today, it seems that there is a lot of debate within the GOP right now about what went wrong last Tuesday. And some Republicans are placing the blame on Romney. I don't agree with that. But let's say that there had been a different candidate at the top of the ticket. Choose the one who you think would have had the best shot of beating Obama in this election. If I left your choice out in the poll, just write your pick in.

 

[Johan]

Herman Cain, before his last flip-flop on gay marriage could have (yes, could have, not would have...) beaten Obama if he had stood by what he has said about this ("let states decide") and about abortion ("family's choice"). He would have rallied some women's votes. And his skin would have help him gather some minorities' votes.

 

[Sherpernurnun]

I can say with confidence that Ron Paul would be our President had he been not marginalized in television and debates. Every poll that came out put Paul in the high 50's percentage against Obama unlike the more even showings for Romney.

I voted for Gary Johnson but had Ron been the nominee he would have had my vote as well as a vast majority of Libertarians votes as well as many Democrats who loved Ron enough to change their party registration to vote in Republican primaries. If the Republican party would get its head out of its ass and start appealing to a broader base they might win next time.

 

[Mayhem]

Ron Paul, as I've been saying all along. Rubio comes in a dubious 2nd place, but I really don't think he could have pulled it off. It would have depended on how the President's campaign addressed him.

If I was running for Prez, I would constantly shift the debate to the GOP. "The Rebublican Party wants this.......that's why you should vote for me." "Governor, your Party has said that......and that's why I should win." "The Right Wing is trying to do this.....and that's why they shouldn't be elected." That's what I think Obama should have done more of. Paint Romney as a Party hack and help out the downticket more than he did.

 

[Rey C.]

I haven't voted in my own poll yet. I'm just not sure which of them could have beaten Obama - considering what they have to do and say (that creates popular election baggage) to win the GOP nomination these days. There are a couple who I don't think would have had a snow ball's chance in hell. But there are also a couple that I'm not sure about. Right now, I think I'm kind of torn as I consider Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty and Chris Christie. I think Obama would absolutely destroy Herman Cain in a debate. Herman's brain has a tendency to shut down at inopportune times. And I put Palin in just because some are saying that the GOP needs a female candidate at the top and needs to move farther to the right. But I think Obama would destroy her in a debate and on the campaign trail as well. Huckabee is pretty sharp - a bit kooky, but pretty sharp. Jeb Bush has the wrong last name, but he is brighter than his brother(s). Rubio, I just don't know much about. But a lot of people seem to think he represents a better future for the GOP. Should I have included Rick Perry? And I would have included Colin Powell, but I forgot. Apart from him now being called a RINO (by the radical right), I think he'd have had an excellent shot of beating Obama - maybe the best (popular vote wise... he'd never have made it through the GOP primaries). I also forgot about Bobby Jindal.

If a mod would take the time to include Powell and Jindal in the poll, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Johan]

If you wanna put a right-wing woman potential candidate, Bachmann would have done way better than Palin.
But there's no way either of them would have won against Obama

 

[wdoall]

you left Colin Powell of that left, and he would have beaten Obama and in a landslide

 

[Rey C.]

If you wanna put a right-wing woman potential candidate, Bachmann would have done way better than Palin.
But there's no way either of them would have won against Obama

I almost made that choice Palin/Bachmann, since they are essentially the same person.

 

[Rey C.]

you left Colin Powell of that left, and he would have beaten Obama and in a landslide

True, my bad - I mentioned that above. I'm hoping a mod can fix that for me.

 

[Johan]

Obama would have destroyed Powell on Foreign Policy and honesty towards the congress and the american people 'cause Powell pushed in favor of the war in Iraq and brought false evidences about Saddam's Weapon of Mass Destruction. Obama would have raised the point that Powell brought these false evidences even after he told Bush about the "the consequences of going into an Arab country and becoming the occupiers". He betrayed his own beliefs.

Also, in 2008 Powell endorsed Obama against Republican candidate McCain, how could he have run against him for the Reps 4 years later ?

 

[Mayhem]

Forget Chris Christie. Seriously, forget him. Any thought towards him ever being President is a pipe-dream. BJB and I had this discussion (briefly) before the convention. I said he'd tank as a keynote speaker and he did. People from Jersey just aren't Presidential material. You have Christie's own performance record, good and bad to show. And you also of me on one end of the spectrum and meesterperfect on the other end. New Jersians are not capable of winning the Presidency let alone being a good one. Why? Because we're from New Jersey.

 

[wdoall]

Obama would have destroyed Powell on Foreign Policy and honesty towards the congress and the american people 'cause Powell pushed in favor of the war in Iraq and brought false evidences about Saddam's Weapon of Mass Destruction. Obama would have raised the point that Powell brought these false evidences even after he told Bush about the "the consequences of going into an Arab country and becoming the occupiers". He betrayed his own beliefs.

Also, in 2008 Powell endorsed Obama against Republican candidate McCain, how could he have run against him for the Reps 4 years later ?

And he did again this year but he is a republican, although moderate, and your dead wrong on foreign policy. I have met the man and chewed the same sand as his men in Kuwait . I have a ton of respect for him and all none delusional people on both sides do as well

 

[Deepcover]

Ron Paul. He is the only one I could see defeat Obama. I thought he was terrible at first but after reading some of his political views and such I was shocked because he seems to be the only politcian who actually makes sense of what he believes. The GOP keeps talking about the party needs to go back to the time of Ronald Reagan. Well of course. Let's see um his Reaganomics? Practically made the rich and the wealthy very happy and he spread economic growth through the country. Although there's criticism when he was president which is something to tell another time, the GOP wants that Teflon shit back and badly. All I can say about that is...good luck.

 

[Jack Davenport]

3 million less republicans voted than in 2008. I attribute that to the lack of a real conservative nominee.

 

[wdoall]

No, as I many are disillusioned by the radical religious right that is taking over the party. I love God and my country but religious freedom is essential and not just my religion. Our founding fathers demanded it

 

[Mayhem]

3 million less republicans voted than in 2008. I attribute that to the lack of a real conservative nominee.

Whose fault is that?

 

[Jack Davenport]

Establishment Republicans

 

[Mayhem]

You Might want to do something about that.

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

I think Jeb Bush was the only candidate who would have had a shot at beating Obama. He's had decent experience in business, enough to have made him a viable alternative to Romney on economic policy, and most importantly he managed to win Florida, which was at-the-time a largely Democrat state, by successfully appealing to minorities, which none of the GOP candidates this year outside of Cain could do. Most analysts are saying it will be impossible for the GOP to win an election without appealing to the non-white vote, and while the Republicans will never be able to match the Democrats party success at doing so, Bush's success and popularity with them would have been more than acceptable. With Bush as the candidate, the Republicans would have taken Florida and potentially a couple other close states; that I can say with absolute certainty.

 

[Smallville22]

Ron Paul