An Assesessment of the Republican Field Prior to the Second Debate

An Assessment of the Republican Field Prior to the Second Debate Governor Rick Perry of Texas is the smartest of the group of 17. He realized it was a lost cause and cut his losses. His time was four years ago, but he was sick and medicated when he performed poorly in public. He could not overcome that first impression. At this point in time the career politicians should follow Governor Perry’s lead. Polls show three political outsiders, Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and Carly Fiorina with a combined 54%. The voters are lukewarm, or at least in the Republican base, to Washington insiders this election. That will change. Donald trump's thin skin will catch up with him as his act becomes stale. The question is if tomorrow he will violate President Reagan's 11th Commandment at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library as the candidates attempt the mantle of President Reagan. The early front runners have plummeted in the polls. Governor Chris Christy is still digging out from Bridgegate. Governor Scott Walker is now all in on a union busting plank. Governor Jeb Bush can’t figure out what hit him. He is the cool, calm, collected voice in the race. He saw what happened to his father and brother when they failed to respond to political attacks. Thus, he is stooping into the political sewer with Donald Trump. That is not who he is and detracts from his message. Carly Fiorina has made Hillary Clinton her focus from the onset of her campaign. Senator Rick Santorum and Governor Huckabee may have won previous Iowa caucuses, but this is not their year. They are both competing for the Evangelical vote but that vote is going to Dr. Ben Carson this year. Senator Ted Cruz is, as usual, being a Lone Ranger, continuing to build upon his Senate record of being somewhere out there by himself. Governors Bush and John Kasich are not pandering to the voters by throwing “red meat” at them. Who knows why former Governors Jim Gilmore and George Pataki are running? Senator Lindsay Graham at least can claim to be putting national defense up front. Senator Rand Paul is on the wrong side of the national security debate. He apparently cannot dig himself out of the Foxhole. Governor Jindal has received little traction in the race for the White House. It seems to be “steady as it goes” for most of them, hoping to be among the few survivors standing when the Donald ultimately crashes, and thus pick up the pieces. The odds should favor Senator Marco Rubio in this strategy. One of the sad effects of Donald trump's current reign in the polls is that it crowds out the message of the other candidates. If you watch them, and listen to them, you realize that the Republican field is very strong and that almost everyone of the remaining 16 candidates is better than anyone in the Democratic field.