Romney is the Choice

The top priority for Conservatives is to defeat President Obama in 2012.  As long as he remains in office, our agenda (repeal Obamacare, cut spending and taxes, rescue the economy, etc.) will be thwarted by executive veto even if Republicans hold onto the House of Representatives and regain control of the U.S. Senate.

That being said, running the best conservative available as the Republican nominee is, therefore, of secondary concern.  If a less conservative candidate is more likely to prevail next November,  that should be a conservative’s choice.  Mitt Romney fits the bill.

First, although his proclaimed loyalty to conservative principles and policies can be fairly questioned, given his political history of being a somewhat liberal Massachusetts governor, Romney’s responsiveness to the demands of his audience (resulting in calculated policy shifts) should not disqualify him.   The continuing - and forthcoming – conservative strength in Washington ensures that he will stay in step with, and certainly not oppose, our policies.  Mitt Romney has made clear his desire to go with the flow.

But what makes him more electable, for instance, than Gov. Rick Perry or Herman Cain, whose conservative credentials are certainly more authentic?  Gov. Perry expresses himself awkwardly and seems frankly uninformed about national issues other than energy.  And while  Mr. Cain’s blunt talk is appealing, his tendency to put his foot in his mouth is not.  (Is he really pro-choice?  Did he really not know that China has had nuclear weapons since the sixties?)

Simply, Mitt Romney is the better national politician.  This is largely due to his experience and “moderate” manner.  His candidacy will reassure those voters labeled as independents who prefer their politics  in pastels rather than bold colors.  His careful, relatively mistake-free manner won’t upset them.   (Unaligned voters were essential to Obama’s victory; they are key to his defeat.)  Further, Romney has proven to be a steady debater who can be expected to at least hold his own on a public stage against the “smooth talker” currently residing in the White House.  Having been on the national stage now for some years, any skeletons in Romney’s closet would have been exposed by now.  He’s been vetted in the ways that other GOP candidates (with the current exception of Herman Cain, to his great embarrassment) have not been.

Remember the objective:  Mitt Romney is the Republican candidate most likely to reach it.

Note:  Does Romney’s  religious faith affect his electability?  Probably not.  Interestingly, new polling data suggests a strong sympathy among Jewish voters (usually strong Democrats) for Mormons.  Maybe that’s because both faiths have evoked strong hostility from often sizeable portions of the community.  And, anyway, whatever a religious conservative might think of the theological underpinnings of the Church of Latter Day Saints, there is no disputing that its values of family and individual enterprise and responsibility resonate.