Due to its being squeezed in between the crucial Michigan and Arizona primaries and Super Tuesday, not much attention was paid to the Washington state caucus by either the Republican presidential candidates or the media. But while the voting, which took the form of a straw poll at caucuses where delegates to a state convention were chosen, presented the now familiar pattern of chaos that we have to expect from GOP caucuses, the result went pretty much as expected as Mitt Romney cruised to an easy win. Romney took 38 percent of the vote. Second place went to Ron Paul, who narrowly edged out Rick Santorum by a 25-24 percent margin. The fading Newt Gingrich finished last with 10 percent. Along with recent wins in Maine, Wyoming, Arizona and Michigan, this gives Romney a modest five-state winning streak heading in to Super Tuesday with most of the focus on Ohio where he hopes to once again head off a strong challenge from Santorum.
Though Romney’s critics can look at these results and point to the same lack of enthusiasm and inability to win the affection of conservatives that have plagued him elsewhere, his win in Washington highlights the fact that he remains the strongest candidate in the field with the organization and resources to fight and win contests all over the map. Accumulating victories of this sort doesn’t change the narrative about Romney’s personal shortcomings, but it does reinforce the notion of the inevitability of his being nominated by the Republicans.
This momentum will be crucial on Tuesday as Romney seeks more victories that will make it clear he is the only possible winner of the GOP race, no matter how long his rivals drag out the battle. In particular, a win in Ohio over Rick Santorum will come as close as any to sealing the deal. Santorum has been leading the polls in Ohio for most of the last month. As was the case in Michigan, the state’s blue-collar voters are perfect targets for Santorum’s appeal to the working class. But the Pennsylvanian’s perceived extremism on social issues that helped Romney come from behind in Michigan appears to be a factor in Ohio, too. Romney is closing in the polls and one more win in his pocket over the weekend will only strengthen the impression Santorum has already lost his one chance to knock off the frontrunner.
Santorum continues to complain, much as Gingrich has done, about Romney’s lack of authenticity. But though Romney’s attempt to portray himself as a true conservative has often come across as phony, despite an unprecedented number of lead changes and twists and turns, the basic outline of the race has remained constant since the fall. Romney continues to take advantage of the fact that there is no single credible conservative challenger who can match him when it comes to electability. Much like Gingrich’s personal baggage and inconsistent record, Santorum’s self-inflicted wounds have left most Americans viewing him as running more for the post of national scold than president, leaving Romney as the only plausible Republican candidate in the race.
This may bitterly disappoint many conservatives, but the mathematics of the delegate race is starting to shape up as a formula that will leave them little choice but to make their peace with Romney or settle down for another four years of Barack Obama in the White House. Another few victories on Tuesday for Romney should lead many Republicans to understand that this reconciliation process must begin as soon as possible.
Romney is without question the most capable individual to be nominated by Republicans in many, many years. He is able to get things done and to make things happen. He has a presidential personality and temperament, excellent judgment, and personal balance. The Republicans should be absolutely thrilled to have him as a nominee and should stop the carping and ankle-biting (which Jonathan Tobin, George Will, William Kristol, Rich Lowry, Steven Hayes, and National Review and Weekly Standard as whole entities are all very guilty of). n nThose folks are nuts if they think the nation is going to vote for a far-right Republican. They need to get out more. Romney is a great gift to Republicans and we should all be celebrating our good luck in having him. He is an incredibly gifted man. Compared to Romney, the rest of the Republican field are all bad jokes. Cain? Gingrich? Palin? Santorum? Perry? Bachman? They are all jokes and incompetents compared to Romney. None of them could ever get elected President. None of them (now including Perry who has badly damaged his reputation by actually speaking in public) could even get elected to state-wide office. n nPair Romney with Christie, Ryan, or maybe Rubio or Thune and you have a killer ticket. Obama is very defeatable if the Repbublicans don't insist on doing something stupid.
You aren't Romney so you can't speak for him (I do take that into account in my thought on what you've said), but are all of us who support one or another of those you deem "bad jokes" and "incompetents" supposed to be convinced that all of us and our views are garbage and always have been? Is the idea that Romney's supporters hate those we've supported supposed to make us fall in love with your candidate? Are you an Obama Democrat?
The other candidates are bad jokes because thye could not ever get elected, even to a state-wide office, let alone to the presidency against a capable politician like Obama. n nI don't say your opinions are "garbage." But I don't expect to be able to elect someone who exactly mirrors my own opinions, and neither should you. This is especially true if your opinions are well outside the mainstream of the nation's voters. We are living in a CENTER-right democracy.. The only way liberals can get elected is if they are closer to the center than we are. All of the other candidates are far-right and leave the center to the Democrats and the liberals.
Excellent response!
The other candidates are bad jokes because they could not ever get elected, even to a state-wide office, let alone to the presidency against a capable politician like Obama. They are all, in one way or another, versions of Christine O'Donnell. I especially oppose Santorum and Gingrich because of the way they have sold their time in government (their entire careers) and their government influence to private commercial interests for millions of dollars. n nI don't say your opinions are "garbage." But I don't expect to be able to elect someone to the Presidency who exactly mirrors my own opinions, and neither should you. This is especially true if your opinions are well outside the mainstream of the nation's voters. We are living in a CENTER-right democracy. The only way liberals can get elected is if the Republicans abandon the center. All of the other candidates are far-right and leave the center to the Democrats and the liberals. I don't want another four years of Obama, Pelosi, Krugman, and Reid. n nRomney is an astonishingly capable man. We are very lucky to have him as a candidate.
Actually, in addition to his selling his government influence, Santorum is also an authoritarian thug who thinks he is the one to tell everyone else how to live. Just watch his manner when he talks to people. He would make government even more intrusive than it is now.
There is no limit to government intrusion under the Democrats as they view the Constitution as an enabling act to do whatever the hell good deeds pop into their minds and confiscate whatever wealth they need to supplement debt-financing to do it. Preventive abortion by mandate? Attempts to dictate "non-discriminatory" hiring of women priests? Check. Compelling debt owners of "victimized classes" to settle for pennies on the dollars when said victims can't pay the money they owe. Ditto. That the Dems who, as with Obama, have moved from supporting partial-birth abortion to legalizing after-birth infanticide, feel they can get mileage out of ginning up pseudo controversies about contraception only demonstrates that sex is everywhere but life cheapened in these United States. Pace C.S. Lewis' "Screwtape Latters" that would be the party of the secular religion ministered to by Old Scratch.
I completely agree with you about the Democrats (maybe you didn't take the time to actually read what I wrote?). But I think it is clear that Santorum would make government intrusion much worse. His economic plan emphasizes an intrusive role for government and his plans as president to lecture us about contraception makes me feel like I'd be living in a tyranny. I believe in freedom of religion, not Emperor Santorum.
The instant Mitt Romney becomes the GOP's nominee, Wehner, Tobin, and Goodman will own him. n nIf Romney doesn't defeat Obama in November, Wehner, Tobin, and Goodman will be responsible for advocating the nomination of the unprepared, unqualified Mitt Romney. They will be responsible for contributing to the consequences of four more years of Barak Obama.