Quote:    As a Conservative Republican,  I'm convinced that John McCain and Mitt Romney weren't tough enough to win.    That was my biggest issue with both of them.   To the point that I refused to give Romney even a penny in the campaign once he won the nomination.   Instead,  I supported PAC'S that at least recognized that political correctness was not going to defeat Obama.  (1)

 

  Though the 47 % comment hurt Mitt Romney,   he never went on the Offensive after the Obama campaign,  the media,  and others working to keep Obama in the oval office attacked him non stop.    People can say what they want about Newt Gingrich but at least if he was the nominee he would have made Obama sweat.  (2)

 

   Along the lines of what jj82284 expressed,   many Republicans are desperate for a Presidential Nominee that isn't a pansy in the general election campaign.   The problem from my perspective is many have latched on to Donald Trump,  who is anything but a Conservative based on history even this century and this decade.   Ted Cruz represents what these people are truly looking for.   I hope they see it before it's too late.  (3)

 

1 - I respectfully disagree that McCain or Romney wasn't "tough enough".  McCain had an uphill battle, and though I know you like Sarah, her selection did not make McCain's path easier.  Romney might not have been the toughest looking or sounding candidate, but I disagree that it was his calm, respectful, confident demeanor that did him in.

 

2 - Newt was a weak candidate, and certainly weaker than Romney.  His affairs would not have made him popular with women of either party, and I doubt he would have debated Obama any better than Romney did.  Romney won both debates in 2012 and still couldn't take POTUS 44 down.  Gingrich is smart, speaks well, and gives off an arrogant aura that is often confused with strength.

 

3 - I agree with the first half of your final paragraph.  Conservative Republicans are certainly desperate for  a non-pansy nominee, and many think that looks like Donald.  If you think Cruz can be that candidate, fine, and I think he'd govern better than Donald.  There are better candidates in this field for a moderate like me.  I heard a pundit say it over the weekend:  if Trump can't handle being put on the hot spot by Meghan, how do you think he's going to handle Putin?

---