We have heard many times the Reagan Republican coalition referred to as a three-legged stool. What I am seeing right now is three candidates, each of whom represents a different leg of the stool.
Mitt Romney: Pro-Business/Free-Trader
John McCain: Military/National Security Experience
Mike Huckabee: Social/Religious Conservatism
This is certainly over-simplistic, but is this race pretty much boiling down to which of these three groups of issues Republican primary voters value the most? For me, I would say that foreign policy and national security remain the #1 issue in this election year. Thus, I lean for McCain. In 2000, I probably would have said that social or cultural issues were more important.
Thoughts?
Except that McCain is an
Except that McCain is an ardent free-trader, and has been one of the best Senators leading the cause for free trade.
McCain is also solidly pro-life, and while he disapproved the federal marriage amendment on for states rights reasons, he campaigned for it in Arizona when it was on the ballot.
National polls say it's the
National polls say it's the economy...and for whatever reason, those voters are drifting toward McCain (with Romney's exit, I suppose that only leaves Huckabee's populism as an alternative). National security, though, still seems to be the strong suit with many voters, and McCain voters in particular. It's helped him so far and it may do even more for him once the Democrats get around to selecting their nominee.
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