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View Full Version : Iowa pragmatism could benefit Mitt Romney campaign




RonPaulFanInGA
12-27-2011, 06:43 PM
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5imV76KWZSUNFaZ999mm1BDwjHe4Q?docId=84de2c49b 0104fdbb72e2ebb8c7780d8


The ascent of libertarian-leaning Ron Paul and the lack of a strong conservative candidate seem to be awakening a new sense of pragmatism in some Iowa Republicans. That bodes well for Mitt Romney, as a large chunk of undecided voters continues the search for someone capable of defeating President Barack Obama.

"A lot of the people I'm around are not Romney fans, but they are kind of acknowledging they think he's going to be the nominee, and that they'll plug their nose and vote for him," said Gwen Ecklund, Republican chairwoman in Crawford County in conservative western Iowa.

A week before voting begins in the fluid Republican race, interviews with a dozen Iowa political operatives and party activists — as well as internal polling by rival campaigns — suggest that some Iowans are increasingly concerned about Paul, whose views often stray from Republican orthodoxy, and have begun to fall in line behind Romney instead of other candidates seen as more conservative but weaker against Obama.

Public and private polling suggests Romney is more often the second choice of Republican caucus-goers than any other candidate, indicating that Republicans could be swayed in the coming week to support him.

Few see Paul, the ideological libertarian, as a substitute for their first choice of a hardline conservative. In a sign of the slide by former House speaker Newt Gingrich, Texas Gov. Rick Perry — who is seeing a slight bump as the Iowa campaign nears its end — is more often identified as a second choice than is Gingrich.

Mindful of that, Romney is entering the final phase of the Iowa campaign with a confident air after trying to lower expectations earlier in the campaign. He spent heavily here in 2008 only to lose big.

Private polling must also suggest that Romney is not in first in the top line.

Were Huckabee and Robertson "pragmatic"?

Aratus
12-27-2011, 10:30 PM
this is dovetailing down to a nelson rockefeller or sen. barry goldwater candidate to take on potus and his LBJ epiphanies.