2/3 of the party is not going to sit on their hands as the 1/3 walk a way with the nomination. Those who love their country and this party of the people will not allow Romney to ride off with the nomination without a fight. South Carolina and Florida is where we need to make our stand. Oh P.J O’ Rourke is wrong we can and have been able to fix government just look at Reagan presidency.

But I think even a top 4 finish would be good…simply because again, that would mean that 2/3 above him have no shot at the nom so he would be the de facto anti-Romney candidate.

Basically Perry has to do better than the polls suggest and show there is some real energy and fire left in his campaign. His last stump speeches have been great…this is what we needed back in the fall but as has been said, no use looking back now

And are looking more normal already.

By OWS? I don’t know.

Allowing outsiders to vote in a party election invites mischief. Are the outsiders voting to nominate the best man, or to give hope to the worst man?

nt

If the former Utah governor ran in the Hawkeye state Romney and Paul would have been treading water in 5th or 6th place because he could have cut in to their base of support. Huntsman can attract the independents and the business establishment vote that Romney and Paul is getting thereby undercutting them in the state. Huntsman is the reason why we are where are at now

really new yet. Have CNN turned up loud in the den but can see only a part of the screen. LOL

He’s in 5th place.

This site shows the results as they come in:

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/01/iowa-caucus-results-as-they-come-in/250822/

here I am, a Perry Supporter. In case anyone is listening, please call me to help out in SC. I am near SC and will call or travel on weekends to help.

at 13% of the results in, I would say that is more like 3,821.

having Romney win.

A third place finish will hurt Romney, and a blow against his inevitability.

Iowa is perplexing as it always is;

Newt and Perry need to make a deal,

Newt needs to take Romney out in the debates, and sacrifice himself for the good of the country….and then endorse Perry.

I find it hard to believe that the author of Romneycare looks this strong in an R Presidential Primary season.

It doesn’t seem to matter about state’s rights…he’s their next door neighbor. I’m just too upset.

Idiots
Out
Wandering
Around

…

Definitely Children of the Corn. It fits so well, I have to think King was writing of Iowa.

not to be totally wiped out after the worst modern day attacks in a primary.

A vote for Santorum is a vote for Romney.

Santorum will get blown out in NH and doesn’t have either the money or the organization to compete in SC. He’ll get his lunch eaten and all he’s doing – with the help of a bunch of ignorant, hick, evangelicals – is splitting off the “not-Romney” vote.

We’ve been discussing this meme today at length. Start paying attention.

Huntsman will drop after NH. That gives Newt and Santorum the chance to beat up Romney in South Carolina and Florida.

If Perry hangs around for South Carolina he’ll just take a good 5-8% from someone with an actual chance to win.

Santorum’s support will be Perry’s support. Perry will be the front runner after Florida.

How can anyone take a state seriously that has had 6 different front runners? And have Ron Paul possibly win? Perry will put all of his eggs in the SC basket and if doesn’t do well there then maybe he will consider getting out, but NO way does he get out because of these flakes. He wouldn’t give them that satisfaction especially when you have people (democrats)signing up on the spot and probably voting for Santorum or Paul to boost Obama’s re-election possibilities. Bachmann on the other hand should drop out and endorse Perry/Santorum while she still has her dignity.

1. Iowa is the best shot that both Bachmann and Santorum had – Santorum took advantage of it, but other than that, he has nowhere else to go.

2. Perry was completely written off and pulled back up to double digits in Iowa, no small feat – especially considering the late break for Santorum due to evangelical endorsements and lack of vetting.

3. Perry has the money to stay competitive to Super Tuesday, no reason he should get out, since at this point – Santorum and Gingrich do not have the resources (Santorum will get some love but Gingrich will most likely not)

So, I would have liked to see better, but 3 of the 4 candidates who are ahead of him at this stage of the returns have either little prospects going forward or are bat-crap crazy.

That and Perry is the best choice in the running for the next POTUS, a proven conservative with strong executive experience, whether he can win the nomination or not – so I’m still pulling for him.

And he thinks that Perry will do well in SC because SC has a lot of military active/retired and about 10% unemployment compared to 5/6% for Iowa/NH. Iowa has a bad record of picking the nominee while SC has picked the nominee every time for the last 30 years. I am hoping that Perry has a strong showing (top 2) in SC and comes out as the anti Romney candidate. Santorum has spent the last 4 years in Iowa so I am happy that it paid off for him but he’s got nothing after Iowa.

Perry’s in fifth place, in spite of spending 5 million dollars campaigning. I find it highly unlikely that he’s going to win the nomination. He’ll be able to stick around for a while, but I have a hard time seeing him win.

Paul’s numbers are high because he has a group of small but very devoted followers. They’d turn out in the booths to vote for him even in the middle of a blizzard.

Gingrich is extremely stubborn and will continue as long as he can, probably even after he’s run out of steam.

Sadly, I think Romney is going to end up our nominee; the thought makes me cringe.

Bachmann is completely done. she’s out of money, has no organization and is for all intents and purposes in last place.

Santorum had the luck to surge as the anti-romney candidate just as the primaries were about to begin. we’ll see if he can hold it.

It is not over, but let us not delude ourselves: this was a terrible defeat for conservatives, and we must work hard to recover. More importantly, the terrible campaigning on the part of our conservative potential nominees must be curbed in order to win. We must at this juncture work to spare the country of an ambitious man with no principles, while at the same time steeling ourselves for that self-same probability.

did you see this?

Surely you read the poster in front of you.

It’s been quite obvious to anyone watching Luap Nor’s career.

Remember, his supporters have to remember to put the pipe down, change their registration to R, and get to the caucuses.

That’s *hard*, man! It totally harshes the buzz!

Mew

He is the one looking sick. Perry will pick up 95% of Santorum’s support and 90% of Bachmanns.

Do the math.

come November probably 60% will be voting for Obama and the others will be stoned.

Paul’s support came out right where the recent polls predicted. It was Santorum’s support that was understated, that’s where the error in expectations occurred.

The hysteria over Paul in recent weeks was an over-reaction IMHO.

I wouldn’t call that tanking. Perry & Gingrich have been in the hot seat. Santorum HAS NOT. It’s coming. Bachmann drops and her supporters scatter. The big winner of this IA caucus is the ABR vote; holding steady around 75%.

Ron Paul drops Republican bid and runs 3rd party. So really, Perry is in 4th, just like McCain. It is a battle between Perry & Gingrich for the conservative vote. Both have name recognition and organization. Santorum, one hit wonder, won’t do well in SC.

is going to hurt him. Expect to see the ad he records for his “conservative” friend Arlen Specter over and over.

Also expect to hear about him voting for the Bridge to Nowhere and deficit budgets.

Santorum will briefly surge and then sink. Meanwhile, with the beating Romney has taken here, from Rush, from Levin, and from all the “conservatives” who will have continued great web traffic and listener traffic with an Obama second term, Romney is at 25%.

The “conservative” blogosphere has been hammering him. The “conservative” talk show hosts have been hammering him. They know he can kill their golden goose, Obama, and they have been denigrating him because of it. They didn’t back in 2008 when he was the true conservative alternative. Now, suddenly, he’s not.

In a race where only one guy has been able to maintain consistent support, why aren’t the other candidates getting hammered for being inept? For bungling? For not following clear guidelines to get on ballots.

Enough said.

He can only shoot himself in the foot. If he insists on staying in as a dead-ender he certainly won’t help his cause by debating anyone.

Perry is the only one with upward momentum besides Rick Santorum (Iowa only).

Gingrich 15,553 vs Perry 12,074 votes with 95% reporting. McCain came in 4th last time with 15,500.

The conservative vote is fractured with a current flavor of the month that until recently was polling above an * why shouldn’t Perry supporters, and Gingrich’s too for that matter celebrate? Once Bachmann drops out, Santorum is vetted it becomes a race between Perry & Gingrich to be the standard conservative bearer against first Mitt Romney, who is holding his 25% platter right now (did he does better or worse this go around).

The real winner tonite is the Anybody-But-Romney frontrunner.

These prognosticators who thought Perry was going to rise now looked into their crystal ball and have seen that only Romney can win and they will support him.

Never you mind that those same Perry supporters were all for the anti-Romney coalition when the vision was Perry at the lead. Now they will back Romney and all they supposedly opposed.

If there is one candidate that is the complete opposite of Perry it is Romney.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. You are losing. You poured money into Iowa while making gaffe after gaffe and debating as poorly as any retail politician in the modern era.

Go back to Texas which you clearly love and get back to doing your job.

We need to get serious before Romney wins.

Rick Perry has more class in his pinky than you do in your whole body.

and Obama has president. You know, Perry did not even say he was dropping out, but if he does, I will never support Newt, all I heard tonight is that Newt has baggage at the caucus sight. It will not be Newt, and Santorum will never beat Romney.

I think we need a governor, so if Perry drops out it will be Huntsman or Romney I support, which makes me sick.

He’ll be in the race longer than Santorum.

…that I did when Pawlenty dropped out and endorsed Romney: which is to say, I’d choose the best remaining candidate and not be overly concerned whether or not my choice matched Pawlenty’s.

If you watch that eulogy, aka speech, he gave a few minutes ago he canceled all planned events for tomorrow.

When candidates go home to reassess they are dropping out.

and when the choice of the candidates that are governor or were governor then one must have to assess,

I am not convinced who I will support if indeed Perry drops out, but I will not let bullies like you tell me who I have to decide to support.

I may support Rick Santorum, but he has to prove to me that he can win against Obama, and I do not think he can. I am not a huge fan of Romney or Newt, but only one of them has baggage a mile high.

We need Huntsman to gain steam, but until that happens I am think it is going to be Romney.

They have as much conservative integrity as Romney.

Is this site filled with conspiracy theorists in ADDITION to the Ron Paul fans?

There is a reason why this cycle is so frustrating, and that reason is grounded in the CANDIDATES. Each have a lot of good things about them, but they all have glaring weaknesses.

You will stop trying to insult the other readers here. Do you understand me? You’ve been pushing the envelope all night, and now there’s no more envelope.

Second, I will want a governor no matter who is running. Now my next choice is Huntsman, but if that does not pan out, then I may think that I would go for Romney.

Not because I want Romney, oh no. I want a governor. I like Newt, and I am not sure about Santorum. I do not think wither can beat Obama, but if I had to have my choice out of the ones I know will stay in, then it is Huntsman, but what about Santorum.

I really liked Santorum’s speech tonight, he did well. One thing I care about is beating Obama, and I am convinced that Newt cannot do that, and Newt is just as big of a flip flopper and liberal leaner as Romney ever was. Plain and simple, and what should a Perry supporter do if Perry does step out, I have to go to the one I think will be the best to beat Obama.

Is a nail-bitingly narrow victory over Santorum and Paul really all that helpful to Romney, with less than a quarter of the vote?

do you not understand that people are assessing right now, and many people wanted Perry because they felt he was the best to beat Obama, and they feel a governor would be the best choice. The bottom line is Obama needs to go, and if Perry is not the one to ge thim gone, then it would be wise for people to think hard about what they want.

I do not think Newt can beat Obama, and I am not sure about Santorum. I think Huntsmans record of conservativism could beat Obama, and I am not so sure Romney can,and this is why I am thinking it may come down to Romney and Huntsman for me, for the same reason I thought Perry is the best, well I still think Perry is the best, and still do not know id he is done. We will see.

they will fall for Romney’s Reaganite rhetoric and come out in droves to support him against BHO.