It's Giuliani in a landslide

Unfortunately for Rudy Giuliani, the votes don't count. But the results of a "straw poll" conducted by the Monterey County Republican Party at the state party convention in Indian Wells this weekend is interesting, given the challenge Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued Friday night about moving closer to the political center.

As the Monterey County party painted it, 208 of the 600 convention delegates cast votes through 1 p.m. Saturday, and Giuliani walked away with it. The former New York City mayor -- whose multiple marriages and moderate views on gay marriage and abortion conflict with the beliefs of social conservatives -- won 63% of the vote, to former actor and U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson's 17% and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's 10%. Sen. John McCain, the next highest vote-getter, picked up less than 3%.

The results are interesting given that the common perception of the party activists is that they are primarily social conservatives. Again, nothing of weight here, other than ...

a momentary and interesting snapshot into the soul of the party faithful.

One delegate, Jim Hamilton of Brawley, described himself as a conservative supporter of U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, though he said he doubted his candidate would win. But he said he also thought the party needed to look to compromise if it wanted to win broader elections. So, he said, fellow conservatives might have to look to less-palatable Republicans if they hope to win, adopting what he described as an old Democratic axiom about electing candidates out of step with the party platform: "He might be a SOB, but he's our SOB."

-- Scott Martelle

Comments

[Get Real]

You have got to be kidding. You are actually giving this poll any credibility. It was taken on Friday before most of the deligates were there and many I talked to on Friday didn't even know about it. Saturday opened up with general and political strategy meetings. To close it by 1 was a GRAVE disservice to those who could have participated.

These polls are what make most synical about the party. I can hold a poll for Ron Paul and not let any one know, do it before the real deligates get there, and have all my friends participate. Guess what... it would be Ron Paul in a landslide.

[GOP Voter]

If Guilliani is our party nominee much of the trust that has been brokered by the party over the last 30 years with the conservative movement will be threatened. The simple reality is this: no republican will be able to win the White House without securing the conservative vote. Its a simple fact. Granted, the percentage of the party that defines them as "conservative" has declined over the years, however, there still a fundamental core to the party that cannot be shaken by calls to "move to the center". Should the party nominate Guiliani or McCain, an election victory for the democrats is almost certain.
And to the vote who said, "He may be an SOB, but he's our SOB". That was Germanys thought when it elected Hitler, and that worked out real well didn't it? The point is, the time for voters to pick the lesser of two evils is over.

[Tony Dolz]

America's best choice for a President is a REPUBLICAN president.

As we face threats to our security because of terrorists getting a free pass through our broken and unsecured borders; and threats to our severeignty with plots like NAFTA, the Security and Prosperity Partnership (the secretive North American Union) and the massive invasion of our country by desperate, illiterate third-world illegal workers that are purposely allowed to violate our border in order for cheap labor profiteers to employ them in lieu of American workers, we need a Republican presidential candidate that is completely unambiguous about ending illegal immigration, punishing the unethical and illegal activities of cheap labor profiteers and the complete rejection of a North American Union that would threatened our sovereignty. That candidat is NOT Giuliani. Giuliani has been a pro-illegal alien and pro scummy employers of illegal aliens and what he says now is not changing my mind. Lets keep our eyes open for a true patriot to emerge and win our hearts.

[Mike Hickerson]

" we need a Republican presidential candidate that is completely unambiguous about ending illegal immigration, punishing the unethical and illegal activities of cheap labor profiteers and the complete rejection of a North American Union that would threatened our sovereignty."
In other words, a progressive Democrat.

[rob]

My family has voted Republican since the party was founded. My father is a Marine vet and a retired defense contractor, my mother a dyed-in-the-wool Bostonian, but none of us have voted for a Republican since Ford. (I never have.) The party started downhill when Reagan relentlessly flogged style over substance. We thought there might be some return to common sense with GHW Bush but even he tirelessly genuflected to the religious extremists in nominating nonentities like Scalia, and the party lost its last moorings to reality.

Now in the dozens of my closest extended family, if anyone is voting Republican, they're not bragging about it.

Republicans used to be about sensible taxes, realistic worldviews, and hard work. Now they define themselves entirely as the photographic negative of Democrats, appealing to the basest, most negative, and cynical emotions they can dredge up out of their manipulated and cowed constiiuency. I hope this party loses until they have no more elected officials. Then maybe there's a chance they can build credibility again.

[Diane]

Doesn't the fact that 208 of the 600 delegates voted say it loudly and clearly? I was there and did not see an opportunity to vote. It was easy to miss with the large number of tables, banners, fliers, and signs.