UNELECTABLE: Please discuss your opinions on who should be unelectable.

[homersapien 11,352]

I liked Huntsman too. Never really understood why more people weren't into him.

In 2007, when asked about a healthcare mandate, Huntsman said, "I'm comfortable with a requirement – you can call it whatever you want, but at some point we're going to have to get serious about how we deal with this issue"

"Unfortunately, Huntsman has completely dropped the ball on spending, with per capita spending increasing at about 10 percent annually during his tenure.

In 2007, in response to the issue of global warming, Huntsman signed the Western Climate Initiative, by which Utah joined with other governments in agreeing to pursue targets for reduced production of greenhouse gases.^[98] He also appeared in an advertisement sponsored by Environmental Defense, in which he said, "Now it's time for Congress to act by capping greenhouse-gas pollution. ( He fully believes the science on global warming )

In June 2007, Huntsman joined other Western governors in urging the Senate to pass comprehensive immigration reform.^[104] In 2005, Huntsman signed a bill giving undocumented migrants access to "driving-privilege cards", which allowed them to have driving privileges but unlike driver licenses, cannot be used for identification purposes.^[105] As governor, Huntsman threatened to veto a measure repealing in-state college tuition for illegal immigrants.^[106] ( Yeah, cards can't be used for ID purposes, just like SS cards aren't suppose to be used as such either )

Those are some of MY reasons not to like the guy as a candidate.

And Raptor makes Ben's point.

[AURaptor 1,121]

I answered the question, yes. And judging by the low support for Huntsman, I'm not alone.

Just like Mitt, he's for forced healthcare, and he's all fine w/ more and more spending.. not sure how he would have done fine in the general elections... he's a lot like Obama AND Mitt.

[cooltigger21 0]

Well I thought this would already be in here today but Cruz is officially in now. The conventional wisdom is that he can't win and this will be the mantra from the MSM. I don't know for sure but I do know listening to the MSM and democrats telling republicans who they should nominate is what has gotten us McCain and Romney and the election results that followed.

[TitanTiger 20,469]

I won't vote for him. And I've never voted for a Democrat for President in my life.

[cooltigger21 0]

I won't vote for him. And I've never voted for a Democrat for President in my life.

That's your privilege. I may or may not vote for him in the primary. If he is the republican nominee I will. My personal preference right now is Walker.

[TitanTiger 20,469]

I won't vote for him. And I've never voted for a Democrat for President in my life.

That's your privilege. I may or may not vote for him in the primary. If he is the republican nominee I will. My personal preference right now is Walker.

I'm just saying, it doesn't take the MSM or Democrats to discourage people from voting for him. He discourages it by the things he says and the policies he supports.

[cooltigger21 0]

I won't vote for him. And I've never voted for a Democrat for President in my life.

That's your privilege. I may or may not vote for him in the primary. If he is the republican nominee I will. My personal preference right now is Walker.

I'm just saying, it doesn't take the MSM or Democrats to discourage people from voting for him. He discourages it by the things he says and the policies he supports.

My remarks about the MSM aren't so much about Cruz in particular but the fact that we've listened to them each of the last two elections and look what it's gotten us. They will and do try to tell us that if we nominate anybody but a moderate we don't have a chance. We follow their advice and promptly lose because the conservative base is not inspired or even actively attacked by the party leaders and they sit home and don't go out and work for the candidate.

That having been said we need to get over the idea of single issues we may disagree with a particular candidate over. There is no perfect candidate out there. Some are better than others but any of these people that are believed to eventually declare themselves officially in the race are far preferable to anything the democrats will offer. That includes Ted Cruz.

[TheBlueVue 177]

I won't vote for him. And I've never voted for a Democrat for President in my life.

That's your privilege. I may or may not vote for him in the primary. If he is the republican nominee I will. My personal preference right now is Walker.

I'm just saying, it doesn't take the MSM or Democrats to discourage people from voting for him. He discourages it by the things he says and the policies he supports.

My remarks about the MSM aren't so much about Cruz in particular but the fact that we've listened to them each of the last two elections and look what it's gotten us. They will and do try to tell us that if we nominate anybody but a moderate we don't have a chance. We follow their advice and promptly lose because the conservative base is not inspired or even actively attacked by the party leaders and they sit home and don't go out and work for the candidate.

That having been said we need to get over the idea of single issues we may disagree with a particular candidate over. There is no perfect candidate out there. Some are better than others but any of these people that are believed to eventually declare themselves officially in the race are far preferable to anything the democrats will offer. That includes Ted Cruz.

Ole Ted has a way with those on the left doesn't he? Say what you want about Ted Cruz but he is a brilliant politician. Even Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law School professor, called him maybe the most brilliant student he taught at Harvard and undeniably the best debater. About Obama Dershowitz said, "Yeah, he went to Harvard too." I haven't decided who I will or wont vote for but I have to wonder about a "conservative" whose mind is made up against him a year and a half away from the election. All I can say is its odd when standing on principle and being willing to fight for them is considered a liability.

[TitanTiger 20,469]

I won't vote for him. And I've never voted for a Democrat for President in my life.

That's your privilege. I may or may not vote for him in the primary. If he is the republican nominee I will. My personal preference right now is Walker.

I'm just saying, it doesn't take the MSM or Democrats to discourage people from voting for him. He discourages it by the things he says and the policies he supports.

My remarks about the MSM aren't so much about Cruz in particular but the fact that we've listened to them each of the last two elections and look what it's gotten us. They will and do try to tell us that if we nominate anybody but a moderate we don't have a chance. We follow their advice and promptly lose because the conservative base is not inspired or even actively attacked by the party leaders and they sit home and don't go out and work for the candidate.

That having been said we need to get over the idea of single issues we may disagree with a particular candidate over. There is no perfect candidate out there. Some are better than others but any of these people that are believed to eventually declare themselves officially in the race are far preferable to anything the democrats will offer. That includes Ted Cruz.

A "true" conservative is no panacea either. The problem is also that even the true conservatives that have run have other problems, namely foot-in-mouth disease and holding some positions that are simply too far right to garner much independent support. You don't have to be a moderate on all things, but on some stuff you might need to be flexible. The Democrats run into the same issue if they put up guys like Kusinich or if Bernie Sanders ran. For one thing, neither are very good candidates outside their own little corner of the country. But for another, they stake out positions on certain issues that are just too far left for people.

You can excite the base all you want, but there are enough people in the middle that you can't ONLY excite the base.

[RunInRed 16,360]

If the GOP wants to guarantee themselves a loss in a national election, nominate Cruz. I guess Roy Moore would work too.

[autigeremt 6,569]

John Kasich and Susanna Martinez 2016

[cooltigger21 0]

If the GOP wants to guarantee themselves a loss in a national election, nominate Cruz. I guess Roy Moore would work too.

But Hillary is unbeatable.

[cooltigger21 0]

I'm not endorsing Cruz but neither is he the wild eyed crazy man some of you are convinced he is. Like I said earlier my personal preference, at this point, is Walker. Things may change as we get further into this thing.

[RunInRed 16,360]

If the GOP wants to guarantee themselves a loss in a national election, nominate Cruz. I guess Roy Moore would work too.

But Hillary is unbeatable.

The person most likely to beat Hillary is Hillary based on what we're seeing out of the GOP field so far.

[autigeremt 6,569]

If the GOP wants to guarantee themselves a loss in a national election, nominate Cruz. I guess Roy Moore would work too.

But Hillary is unbeatable.

The person most likely to beat Hillary is Hillary based on what we're seeing out of the GOP field so far.

So far.......of course Obama wasn't even on the radar at this point prior to 2008.

[RunInRed 16,360]

If the GOP wants to guarantee themselves a loss in a national election, nominate Cruz. I guess Roy Moore would work too.

But Hillary is unbeatable.

The person most likely to beat Hillary is Hillary based on what we're seeing out of the GOP field so far.

So far.......of course Obama wasn't even on the radar at this point prior to 2008.

Actually he announced Feb 10, 2007.

Look, I'm no big Hillary fan .. I would love for some one else to bust onto the scene and steal the spotlight.

[autigeremt 6,569]

If the GOP wants to guarantee themselves a loss in a national election, nominate Cruz. I guess Roy Moore would work too.

But Hillary is unbeatable.

The person most likely to beat Hillary is Hillary based on what we're seeing out of the GOP field so far.

So far.......of course Obama wasn't even on the radar at this point prior to 2008.

Actually he announced Feb 10, 2007.

Look, I'm no big Hillary fan .. I would love for some one else to bust onto the scene and steal the spotlight.

Do you think the former Gov. of Maryland can move the needle or is it up to Elizabeth Warren?

[mrdude 3]

Jeb Bush is probably the only GOP candidate I've seen so far that isn't too extreme. The key for the GOP will be winning the independent vote and I don't see people like Ted Cruz, Scott Walker, or Santorum having any shot with independents. Rand Paul is an interesting candidate, but I don't think he's ready yet. Not that Jeb Bush is that great of an option, but he doesn't scare me like the others. I have not yet seen a GOP candidate come forward that is electable for me.

On the democrat side, I think Biden is the most unelectable. Too many gaffes that are somewhat excusable as VP, won't fly as president. Hillary is just meh; similar to Jeb Bush, isn't too extreme and will do whatever the party tells them to. I'm sure she'll have more scandals pop up, but they won't amount to anything. I think Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are totally electable for me (I don't agree with all of their positions, but they actually fight for people and not just special/corporate interests), though I don't think they'd be able to raise the money required to put together a decent campaign.

My guess is that it'll be Bush vs Clinton...sigh

For the record, I'm an independent and don't have any allegiance to either party.

[WarTim 3,456]

"Who SHOULD be unelectable? The pantsuit. She is a proven habitual Liar. We have had 6 plus years in a row of THAT. Give Warren a chance do prove She is different.

[TexasTiger 12,800]

If the GOP wants to guarantee themselves a loss in a national election, nominate Cruz. I guess Roy Moore would work too.

But Hillary is unbeatable.

The person most likely to beat Hillary is Hillary based on what we're seeing out of the GOP field so far.

So far.......of course Obama wasn't even on the radar at this point prior to 2008.

He was on the radar after 2004.

[DKW 86 7,410]

Jeb Bush is probably the only GOP candidate I've seen so far that isn't too extreme. The key for the GOP will be winning the independent vote and I don't see people like Ted Cruz, Scott Walker, or Santorum having any shot with independents. Rand Paul is an interesting candidate, but I don't think he's ready yet. Not that Jeb Bush is that great of an option, but he doesn't scare me like the others. I have not yet seen a GOP candidate come forward that is electable for me.

On the democrat side, I think Biden is the most unelectable. Too many gaffes that are somewhat excusable as VP, won't fly as president. Hillary is just meh; similar to Jeb Bush, isn't too extreme and will do whatever the party tells them to. I'm sure she'll have more scandals pop up, but they won't amount to anything. I think Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are totally electable for me (I don't agree with all of their positions, but they actually fight for people and not just special/corporate interests), though I don't think they'd be able to raise the money required to put together a decent campaign.

My guess is that it'll be Bush vs Clinton...sigh

For the record, I'm an independent and don't have any allegiance to either party.

JEB is the worst option out there. We do not have royalty nor dynasties here in the US.

JEB? Oh hell NO!

[cooltigger21 0]

Titan you and I are both conservatives. Now I think it's safe to say that I am to the right of you on some if not all things. I'm not a radical and you aren't a faux conservative or an establishment type. There are varying degrees of conservatism and we don't all agree 100% of the time. I respect your position even if I don't agree with it.

Now with respect to Cruz, and again I'm not endorsing him, he scares a lot of people because he has articulated conservative views clearly, with passion and unapologetically. That just isn't done in this day and age of squeamish republicans who surrender before the battle with democrats and Obama even starts. The filibuster in 2013 was considered grandstanding. It was supposed to hurt republicans in the 2014 elections. It did no such thing. It was an honest attempt to stand up to Obama and the democrats and the establishment republicans and say enough is enough with the lawlessness and runaway spending. That's radical. That's being mean spirited. He is not ashamed of being a Christian and proudly admits to praying before making his decision to run. That's just not done in this day and age of secularism. We need more people just like him who are willing to stand up and be counted and buck the going trend. Now I know the liberals among us don't like him and that's understandable but let me ask this of conservatives. You may not care for Cruz at all but if, he is the nominee, is your disagreement with him, Jeb, or whoever the nominee is, worth allowing someone like Hillary to continue the destruction that Obama has brought forth to this country? A lot of conservatives sat home in 2012 and allowed Obama to be elected to a second term. Look what that brought us.

As to Hillary, here is one thing. She is going to be asked by whoever opposes her within the democratic primaries and, should she win the nomination, the republican nominee what she has accomplished. What things has she done in her time that makes her worthy to be president. What did she do as Senator and as SOS? This question will be asked of every candidate and it's a question that has to be answered. I don't think she can get by on the idea that she's Hillary Clinton and she should be president because it's her turn. Every republican candidate will have to answer that question as well. It's a long way from now until the nominees are chosen and then it's still a good distance from there to the general election. Nothing is set in stone for anyone.

[JoeBags7277 734]

Cruz is toxic to anyone outside of the teavangelical camp. I personally would have like to see him mature, moderate- for lack of a better word- become a Senate leader who can push the needle and get things done, , broaden his appeal, and maybe have a go at it in 2020 or 2024. As it stands now, his most grand purpose in the race is going to be to make someone like Rand seem more palatable by comparison. For that, I'm glad he's in.