Rubio vs. Rand vs. Ryan: The race for conservative mantle in 2016

[Brett85]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/02/22/rubio-vs-rand-vs-ryan-the-race-for-conservative-mantle-in-2016/?wprss=rss_politics

[american.swan]

LOL. We know Paul isnt following Rubio's votes very closely.

[itshappening]

Ryan is conservative?

By the way, Rubio voted against all Rand's and Mike Lee's budgets so far and voted against ending foreign aid. He's not serious about cutting anything.

[supermario21]

Ryan is not a conservative. He was allowed to look like one because he was standing next to Romney.

[thoughtomator]

Ryan is a non factor. He was picked as nothing more than eye candy to win female votes, and he wasn't even very good at that role. A VP pick who can't carry his own state is not a serious Presidential contender. Both Rubio and Rand Paul have proven they can win their own states in a general election.

[mz10]

Ryan is a non factor. He was picked as nothing more than eye candy to win female votes, and he wasn't even very good at that role. A VP pick who can't carry his own state is not a serious Presidential contender. Both Rubio and Rand Paul have proven they can win their own states in a general election.

Agreed, it's gonna all come down to Paul and Rubio. My god this is gonna be epic.

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view4/1265907/braveheart-final-battle-scene-o.gif

[supermario21]

Ryan is a non factor. He was picked as nothing more than eye candy to win female votes, and he wasn't even very good at that role. A VP pick who can't carry his own state is not a serious Presidential contender. Both Rubio and Rand Paul have proven they can win their own states in a general election.

Rubio gets credit where it's due. Winning a 3 way race against an incumbent governor in your own party with just about 50% of the vote is damn impressive.

[itshappening]

it will hardly be epic. Rubio is a lightweight and will be easy to take down.

It's almost not a fair contest.

[twomp]

it will hardly be epic. Rubio is a lightweight and will be easy to take down.

It's almost not a fair contest.

You say that but you underestimate the power of the greatest propaganda machine ever created. They were able to make Romney look like a conservative. They were able to convince people to vote for a man who was the architect of Obamacare to represent a party that despised it.

[deadfish]

Rand Paul / Paul Ryan

Paul / Ryan 2016

(just kidding)

[anaconda]

Agreed, it's gonna all come down to Paul and Rubio. My god this is gonna be epic.


I'm diggin' how the Rand-As-Presidential-Contender meme is taking hold in the main stream. Didn't know it was gonna happen this fast. And this is the Washington Post, not Reason, Infowars, or LewRockwell dot com.

ALSO, super cool that they just call him by his first name: RAND. And the other guys get called by their last names. "Rubio, Rand, and Ryan.." :D

[anaconda]

Ryan is a non factor. He was picked as nothing more than eye candy to win female votes

Barf!

http://www.fatwallet.com/static/attachments/6353_barf.jpg

[anaconda]

How does Rubio rank as "fiscally conservative?" :confused:

[Bastiat's The Law]

You say that but you underestimate the power of the greatest propaganda machine ever created. They were able to make Romney look like a conservative. They were able to convince people to vote for a man who was the architect of Obamacare to represent a party that despised it.
Very true. Nobody should be underestimated. That said, I wouldn't be surprised to see Rubio fold like a paper tiger once Rand starts to bloody his nose a little.

[compromise]

How does Rubio rank as "fiscally conservative?" :confused:

He voted against the fiscal cliff deal. He knows which votes the scorecard groups are watching and votes accordingly.

[CaptLouAlbano]

How does Rubio rank as "fiscally conservative?" :confused:

He has a 91% lifetime Freedomworks Score. In 2012 he scored 85% and was tied for 8th with Sessions and Coburn. Rand, Lee and Demint were 100% on that list. Rubio is obviously not the best, but there are many GOP Senators that are far worse.

As far as the topic at hand, I have been saying for a while that it is good that Rubio is going into this as the odds on favorite. It puts the most pressure on him, and when Rand is able to best him in debates and at the polls, it results in Rand being a stronger candidate going into the general election.

[supermario21]

That fiscal cliff vote was great to watch. Rand stormed in dressed as if he was out celebrating New Years and voted no, and then Rubio snuck in at the end of the vote to vote no.

[acptulsa]

Ryan is not a conservative. He was allowed to look like one because he was standing next to Romney.

Obama looked like a conservative standing next to Romney.

[anaconda]

I have been saying for a while that it is good that Rubio is going into this as the odds on favorite. It puts the most pressure on him, and when Rand is able to best him in debates and at the polls, it results in Rand being a stronger candidate going into the general election.

Great piece of analysis. People do rally around the surging underdog.

[CaptLouAlbano]

Great piece of analysis. People do rally around the surging underdog.

Right. Americans love an underdog and they love it even more when they win. The most recent example, I suppose, would be Reagan in 76. He came damn close to defeating the sitting President for the nomination. That momentum carried him to a landslide in the 80 general. Let's hope though Rand does not need to wait till 2020 to win though.

[mz10]

Right. Americans love an underdog and they love it even more when they win. The most recent example, I suppose, would be Reagan in 76. He came damn close to defeating the sitting President for the nomination. That momentum carried him to a landslide in the 80 general. Let's hope though Rand does not need to wait till 2020 to win though.

If Rand ends up being president in any way shape or form, I'll take it.

[georgiaboy]

ALSO, super cool that they just call him by his first name: RAND. And the other guys get called by their last names. "Rubio, Rand, and Ryan.." :D

Yes! RAND 16 it is.