Rudy Giuliani received 34 percent of the vote, while Fred Thompson received 32 percent. Mitt Romney received a paltry 13 percent of the vote. And 18 percent of those casting a preference think someone else will be the GOP nominee.
I think Giuliani will end up with the Republican nomination because he's the most electable Republican candidate. Republicans and moderate Democrats (the few that are left) have seen what it's like to turn the country over to far left zealots since Democrats took control of Congress.
The Democrats had their 100 days to make a difference and blew it by doing the opposite of what they promised. They've squandered the goodwill of the electorate by doing everything that got the Republicans kicked out of office (partisan witch hunts, pork spending, ethical lapses, etc.)
In other words, there's no difference between Democrats and Republicans in Washington, D.C., except for the fact that Republicans are willing to defend this country from the Islamic fascists who declared war on us, while Democrats think appeasement is the way go to.
In the end, the GOP base will decided that anybody but Hillary is acceptable.
Thompson, while a favorite of the conservative wing, would have trouble appealing to independent voters and Democrats who can't stomach another Clinton in the White House. And that is the key to the 2008 election. After 20 years of choosing between Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton, voters are looking for a fresh start.
Hillary will win the Democratic nomination and will most likely pick Barack Obama as her running-mate. Two liberals running the ticket will limit their ability to attract moderates.
Giuliani can beat Clinton in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, which doesn't leave much left for Clinton, who will end up winning the John Kerry states and not much more.
And I think Giuliani will ask Thompson to be his running-mate, bringing geographic balance to the ticket and offering some consolation to the Republican right.
It will be another close election, but Hillary has too many negatives to win and there isn't anyone else in the Democratic Party that can win, either.
Check back in 15 months to see if I'm right.
Tony Phyrillas
Tony Phyrillas is a columnist for The Mercury in Pottstown, Pa. He received a first place award for Best Opinion Column in 2007 by Suburban Newspapers of America. He was also honored for column writing in 2006 by the Society of Professional Journalists.
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