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John Huntsman has virtually no chance of winning the Republican nomination, but has broad appeal to those of us who are Independents. He is not anti-science as the other Republican Candidates seem to be and seems to be moderate on most social issues while fiscally conservative.
I think he may have a chance to win as an Independent.
No...all he would do is GUARANTEE an Obama victory, by diluting the conservative vote.
This country is not ready for an independent winning. He has no shot at the republican nomination and NO ONE ever has a shot running as an independent. For smaller elections - local city, state, House/Senate the might have a shot.
But for president? Not a chance.
He could win all the independents but Democrats and republicans wouldn't budge enough for him to win.
Then again who know. He'd take the majority of the republican party who are sick of the FAR right and Tea Party hijacking and a decent chunk of democrats. I think he'd have more of a shot winning more republicans than democrats though. He can't win the republican nomination because no matter how the majority feels the far right and TP overrule the majority and run the show right now. They'd prop Smokey the Bear before Huntsman.
This country is not ready for an independent winning. He has no shot at the republican nomination and NO ONE ever has a shot running as an independent. For smaller elections - local city, state, House/Senate the might have a shot.
But for president? Not a chance.
He could win all the independents but Democrats and republicans wouldn't budge enough for him to win.
Then again who know. He'd take the majority of the republican party who are sick of the FAR right and Tea Party hijacking and a decent chunk of democrats. I think he'd have more of a shot winning more republicans than democrats though. He can't win the republican nomination because no matter how the majority feels the far right and TP overrule the majority and run the show right now. They'd prop Smokey the Bear before Huntsman.
I disagree. There are a lot of Democrats that would vote for him. He has a 69% approval rating among Democrats in his home state. That is a big number.
Huntsman is more along the lines of an old school Republican. Fiscally conservative, socially moderate and well he is actually sane unlike much of the rest of the field. I disagree with Huntsman on many issues, and wouldn't vote for him in the General, but he can actually discuss the issues without the asinine hateful and crazy rhetoric (and well ideas as well) the others spout off.
My husband and I are supporting Huntsman in the primary--he IS an old school republican vs. a radical right winger. He also has about the same chance of winning the nomination as Mickey Mouse, so I have absolutely no idea what we're going to do in the general
As far as his running as a third party candidate--I don't think it could work. He might pick up some of the middle, but it's going to be the conservative, small business owner end of the middle vs. the liberal end. I think he'd wind up splitting the R vote vs. the D vote.
I disagree. There are a lot of Democrats that would vote for him. He has a 69% approval rating among Democrats in his home state. That is a big number.
And how many republicans would vote for him? You can't win off 69% of Democrats and it's not a sure thing he'd get every independent. There's still a good chunk who go "Oh I voted for Michelle Bachmann because he seems like a good Christian"
No...all he would do is GUARANTEE an Obama victory, by diluting the conservative vote.
Plus he's just a RINO.
Why would he dilute the conservative vote if no conservatives are voting for him?
Romney would benefit the most by Huntsman exiting but by benefitting we aren't talking all of that many people. It's up to Romney to knock him out. It benefits everyone else if Huntsman stays in (because he keeps Romney's numbers lower). It's really quite simple. All Romney has to do is ask Huntsman why he said Obama is a remarkable leader because he either thinks so or he was sucking up for a job and neither will play well with voters. The other candidates won't do it to increase Romney's poll numbers because that's where Huntsman voters will go.
I disagree. There are a lot of Democrats that would vote for him. He has a 69% approval rating among Democrats in his home state. That is a big number.
That tells me he is a Progressive, wearing an R by his name.
Just like Romney.
Why would he dilute the conservative vote if no conservatives are voting for him?
Romney would benefit the most by Huntsman exiting but by benefitting we aren't talking all of that many people. It's up to Romney to knock him out. It benefits everyone else if Huntsman stays in (because he keeps Romney's numbers lower). It's really quite simple. All Romney has to do is ask Huntsman why he said Obama is a remarkable leader because he either thinks so or he was sucking up for a job and neither will play well with voters. The other candidates won't do it to increase Romney's poll numbers because that's where Huntsman voters will go.
Honestly? I think you may see that small chunk of moderate R's or moderate independents who support Huntsman now move to Obama vs. Romney, or just stay home. I'm a moderate, "old school" R, and I don't know anyone like me who sees Romney as a good choice--he's a flip flopper and a phoney. If this whole movement on moving corporations out of politics continues to grow (and I think it's just begun) it's going to hurt Romney more than Obama. Obama is taking big money too, but it's going to be easier to paint Romney as a major corporate guy, and part of the problem in too much corporate control of government.
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