Posted by
KsReaganite on Wednesday, January 03, 2007 7:17:35 PM
The only talk amongs the chattering class is that of McCain, Giuliani, and Romney. Fair enough..after all most news reporters and columnists are by nature lazy and have a marked inability to resist political glamor. They may be in for a surprise, as they usually are once the fall-before-election-year rolls around. Three possible stealth candidates with potential can steal away the thunder from the early birds.
Jim Gilmore, former governor of Virginia, is a jovial man with a stellar record of tax cutting in an important Southern state. A smiley avuncular demeanor and respectability amongst the social conservatives makes him all the more attractive as a real Republican nominee. There are rumors that he already has a few staffers on the ground exploring the possibilites in Iowa and neighboring South Carolina..both early states.
Speaking of South Carolina, its governor Mark Saford has the advantage of becoming the automatic favorite son, should he decide to run, in a vote rich early state in the GOP selection process. Though not a famed tax cutter like Gilmore, Governor Sanford comes across good on television, has presided over a good economy, and is a full conservative, unlike any of the top three pretenders running.
Despite the temptation to pretende, Tim Pawlenty as eschewed the temptation to appear anything but a solid pro-life, pro-gun, pro-growth conservative. When you consider that this man was re-elected governor of Minnesota in 2006 against a formidable challenger....you see why I find him a potential powerhouse. Throw in the youthful looks, personal likeability, and a record of steady no-nonsense governance of a big Rust Belt liberal state and add to it the fact that the GOP convention is in his backyard. Get the idea?