One More Pair of Shoes...

In November, Mitt Romney led among independents.  He held a 51-41percent lead over Barrack Obama among independents.  It is worth mentioning that Romney is the only GOP candidate this cycle that has had any success with this crucial voter base.  By all accounts, the independent vote was the most influential in the 2008 presidential election.  Many argue it was the young independent vote that made it happen for Obama.

Photo from Independent Voters Network

Well, months into this primary cycle, independents are now flocking back to Obama.  They have abandoned the one GOP candidate who made sense to them.  They did not gravitate to Santorum or Gingrich--they returned their allegiance to Obama.  Obama is now leading Romney among independents 51-42 percent.

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This switch is extremely pivotal to this election cycle.  The reality is that if the conservative base ignores this migration, then a November victory will never be a reality.  Without independents, our party is in real trouble.

Our party is now gravitating to the last-but-not-least "Not Mitt" candidate Rick Santorum.  I can't help but ask, have conservatives tried on every "pair of shoes" this cycle?  Doesn't it say anything at all that Rick Santorum was the very last choice?  We are now betting on "last-the-best-of-all-the-game?"

Rick Santorum might speak the language of the conservative base, but he doesn't speak the language of independents / moderate voters.  His social stances are extremely polarizing.  His record is that of a career politician.  He has a deep history of overspending tax payer money.  He didn't do anything to change the culture in Washington.  He appears to be like all the rest of them, he didn't feel a hint of accountability for the debt he helped create.

AP Photo

Mitt Romney offers a different perspective.  He has spent years being accountable for other people's money.  He had to report for every dollar he ever spent and defend every cost.  I love it when Romney says, "In business, if there isn't a balanced budget, the company shuts down."  It would be so refreshing to have politicians with that moral compass.

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For the past three years, the chances of replacing President Obama seemed all but inevitable, truth is, the likelihood is decreasing every day. The most recent CBS / New York Times poll shows that President Obama's approval rating increased from 47 percent in January to 50 percent this month.  Unemployment is dropping and the overall economic mood is improving with 34 percent of Americans saying that the country is "headed in the right direction."

The GOP is in real trouble.  It is going to be harder and harder to to remind Americans of the bad taste that Obama left in our mouths over and over again.  Obama's lead in the general election polls continues to increase.

Although Rick Santorum is now leading Romney in the national polls, it is important to remember that Mitt Romney still has the best chance of winning against Obama.  The most recent Rasmussen Tracking Poll shows Obama vs. Romney 47-43 percent and Obama vs. Santorum at 47-41 percent.  This poll was taken without the support of independents.  If Mitt Romney can attract them back, Obama might be in real trouble.

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We need independents.  Mitt Romney is the only conservative candidate to demonstrate that he can attract them.

I suggest that the conservative base try on one more "pair of shoes."  Mitt Romney is the only "shoe" that the base has not been willing to try on.  They have always resisted him.  I have no doubt that he will fit.  And I would be willing to bet that we will be amazed at what we can actually accomplish in those shoes...

Otherwise we will have another four years of doing what the GOP seems to do best...complain about Barrack Obama.