Presidential Poll Results

After the FRC Action PAC Values Voters Summit a few weekends ago I posted a poll on the blog asking who would you have voted for if you had the opportunity to attend the conference and vote in their straw poll. Unfortunately not many people voted in the poll, but what can you do?

Here are the results:
1. Rep. Ron Paul- 18%
Gov. Mitt Romney- 18%
Gov. Sarah Palin -18%
4. Gov. Mike Huckabee- 12%
Rep. Mike Pence- 12%
6. Gov. Tim Pawlenty- 6%
Sen. Rick Santorum 6%
8. Rep. Newt Gingrich- 0%
Gov. Bobby Jindal- 0%

Other candidates received 6% of the vote as well though no one specified who under the original blog post.

This poll proves a point that I have believed true for the GOP and even for the Dems. In 1996 Bob Dole won the GOP nomination for President over Pat Buchannan and Steve Forbes. In 2000 George W. Bush, then-Governor of Texas won the nomination over John McCain. The GOP was successful when it looked to a rising star in the party who had done an outstanding job as Governor for the nomination rather than looking back at our runners-up from 1996. George Bush went on to win the presidency which most likely wouldn't have happened if we had nominated Pat Buchannan, Steve Forbes, or even Dole's running mate Jack Kemp. In 2008 the GOP nominated John McCain, runner-up to George W. Bush for the nomination in 2000, for President. John McCain was the #2 in 2000, had been known to be a RINO in the Senate, and failed to appeal to the base really until Sarah Palin was named his running mate. Needless to say McCain lost the general election to Barack Obama.

I think we need to look elsewhere, we shouldn't get stuck on our #2's from last time around. We need to look to people like Bobby Jindal and Tim Pawlenty who have seen success as Governors smilar to George W. Bush's in Texas. We also need to look to people like Haley Barbour who has been a proven leader for our party. Gov. Barbour lead us to take back the VA Governor's mansion in 1993 with George Allen and leading us to take back Congress in 1994 with Newt Gingrich and company as RNC Chair and he has now stepped up to Chair the Republican Governor's Association. Gov. Barbour has proven once again the type of leader he is as we look to have a repeat of 1993-1994 in 2009-2010. Why keep Gov. Barbour restricted to being a leader within the party? Is it time to push Gov. Barbour to the top and prove that he can lead more than just our party, that he can lead our nation? We should also look to our patriots in Congress.

Mike Pence has started to make some noise especially at the Values Voters Summit and with social conservatives and has been a leading fighter for us in the House this year. I would like to see Michelle Bachmann and Jim DeMint thrown out there some more as well. Other than Ron Paul and Joe Wilson no one has openly faught for conservatism in Congress more than Rep. Bachmann and Sen. DeMint. Will they recieve any mention during our speculation?

What about Jeb Bush? Bush was a much better Governor than Charlie Crist, who has basically sold out and is now buddy buddying with the BHO administration, was extremly popular in Florida, and now seems to be only hampered by his last name. In Florida, Jeb proved he wouldn't govern like his father or brother. Gov. Bush is somone who can appeal to the base extremly well, but can also pull in enough moderates and independents to win a general election.

I like Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and Sarah Palin but all those three have done since the election is prove they can talk the talk. We need to look to someone who is walking the walk as well as talking the talk. The only 2008 candidate I would support would be Ron Paul, because he has walked the walk in Congress and continues to do so. We need someone new and fresh who has consistantly walked the conservative walk through out their time as elected officials and I don't really see that with the people who are trying to run for President right now other than T-Paw and Ron Paul.

Could Huckabee fix our economic problems? What about Romney instituting virtually socialized medicine in Mass? Palin has proved she can campaign, but up and left office in July. In my opinion if she wants to be President then she needs to prove she can govern and resigning from a term which would have ended with plenty of time for her to run for President afterwards doesn't do it for me. I want someone who can get a job done as president, not someone who quits halfway through.

Despite my reservations about who is looking to run right now, I feel with time we will realize who on the GOP bench will be successful and rest assured, it won't be someone who ran in 2008.