The Danger of Ignoring Romney

[DerekB]

As an Iowan on the ground, I've been seeing people come around to Paul for the past few months... but frighteningly I've also seen several individuals seemingly coming around to Romney as well. Don't get me wrong, they're not excited about it, they're not passionate about him... but they are passionate about one thing.... beating Obama. As they've seen the other anti-romney candidates boom and bust, each time Romney starts to look more appealing - and that is scary.

My best understanding of the Ron Paul strategy regarding Romney, is this:
1) The primary process will essentially boil down to Romney vs. Non-Romney.
2) As such, their largest goal is to win the mini non-Romney primary so they can be the 'chosen ones' to combat Romney head on.
3) Real conservative vs. fake Romney Conservative.

As such, what they've been doing is attacking the non-Romney front runners - Perry then Gingrich.


However, while I think this was a very good strategy... they've got to be very careful about when to reverse course and start nailing Romney to the floor. I feel like that time has come. Here's why:
1) Initially, Romney's negatives were very high. He was considered a 'non-choice' by many.
2) Now, since we've gone through Bachmann, Perry, Cain, Gingrich, and the rest as potential front runners, each time Ron Paul starts to look better but also Romney starts to look less offputting than before.
3) It seems like every vote we gain from Cain, Gingrich, etc. as they drop out of front-runner status... Romney picks up just as many as we do.

As such, I would suggest it might be time to start contrasting Paul's true conservatism with Romney's 'frugal socialism'. If now is not the time, it's got to happen after Iowa when the message can truly be 'Paul vs. Romney, two front-runners to choose between'. EVERYONE SHOULD AGREE that the campaign had better have the anti-romney ads ready and they had better have the ad spots bought in NH and Florida so they can be turned on at the flick of a switch. I truly hope that is the case.

Anyway, just a few thoughts from the ground here in Iowa. I'm likely overestimating the fall of Gingrich and company. The campaign is no doubt on top of the issue and is dealing with better statistics, etc. than I am. Let's hope so.

Can't wait until the 3rd! We Iowans are going to pull through, I just know it.

 

[RDM]

You have to realize all along, the GOP theatrics with the rollercoaster promenade of propping up other candidates was to deflect all attention off Romney. In a sense, their strategy has worked.

 

[dfalken]

I think you are totally right. My father in law I think is very representative of the average FOX watching republican neocon. He has been in favor of all the flavors of the month that FOX has pushed infront of him and recently he is in favor of Gingrich but I think he is realizing now that the Grinch has no chance and therefore he says "I like Gingrich but I also think Romney would make a good President". He claims he agrees with everything Ron Paul says but would never vote for him as his foreign policy is dangerous....you know the standard fear based crap that FOX has fed him. Last election my wife and I were the only Paul supporters in the family, this time around my father in law is the lone non-Paul supporter...so as you can see people are coming around...including my mother in law and my brother in law who is now a rabid Ron Paul supporter despite being greatly influenced by his dad in most aspects of his life.

 

[YumYum]

If Ron wins the nomination, many Democrats will vote for him.

 

[DerekB]

I think you are totally right. My father in law I think is very representative of the average FOX watching republican neocon. He has been in favor of all the flavors of the month that FOX has pushed infront of him and recently he is in favor of Gingrich but I think he is realizing now that the Grinch has no chance and therefore he says "I like Gingrich but I also think Romney would make a good President". He claims he agrees with everything Ron Paul says but would never vote for him as his foreign policy is dangerous....you know the standard fear based crap that FOX has fed him. Last election my wife and I were the only Paul supporters in the family, this time around my father in law is the lone non-Paul supporter...so as you can see people are coming around...including my mother in law and my brother in law who is now a rabid Ron Paul supporter despite being greatly influenced by his dad in most aspects of his life.

This is EXACTLY what I'm seeing here on the ground in Iowa. The conservatives are being worn down, their anti-Romney common sense is being whittled away candidate by candidate. They used to say 'No way I'll vote for Romney.' Now they're saying 'I could vote for Romney while holding my nose.... I like Ron Paul but his foreign policy scares me. Romney will do.'

 

[Drex]

If Ron wins the nomination, many Democrats will vote for him.

Truth.

 

[anewvoice]

This is EXACTLY what I'm seeing here on the ground in Iowa. The conservatives are being worn down, their anti-Romney common sense is being whittled away candidate by candidate. They used to say 'No way I'll vote for Romney.' Now they're saying 'I could vote for Romney while holding my nose.... I like Ron Paul but his foreign policy scares me. Romney will do.'

^^This - I'm seeing fatigue in the GOP ranks, the SNL skit about Romney being there are 2am in the bar as the last option may very well be true.

 

[dcjones]

^^This - I'm seeing fatigue in the GOP ranks, the SNL skit about Romney being there are 2am in the bar as the last option may very well be true.

Haha link to the SNL?

 

[seapilot]

Maybe people going to the caucuses could stress this fact about Ron Paul that he also polls head to head against Obama. Ask them which one could they trust to try and keep their promises.

 

[opinionatedfool]

Help take him down in the polls by spreading the link in my signiture or by sharing the mitt romney serial flip flopper video.