At this point most people have no idea where candidates stand on the issues, the polls simply reflect name ID. Giuliani is known for his impressive leadership in the wake of 9/11, but most pro-family Americans do not yet realize how far outside of the mainstream of conservative thought that Mayor Giuliani social views really are. Once people focus on this election and the candidates Giuliani's lead will diminish. If by some chance Giuliani were to gain the Republican nomination it would set up a very similar scenario that we had last November. A unenthusiastic Republican base which will suppress turnout and set up a Democratic victory.
Let me add a couple of caveats. First, Tony Perkins is a nut. As I pointed out earlier, he's an influential nut, but a nut nonetheless. Second, he's basically claiming that Giuliani isn't 'christian' enough for values voters and that will kill GOP chances in '08. But the losses of such high profile biblebangers as Rick Santorum and Jim Talent showed that the electoral might of the evangelical right had been extremely overstated.
But the final elections and the primaries are two different things. The coalition that makes up the GOP seems to have a large percentage of single-issue voters -- the religious zealots and the gun nuts aren't voting Giuliani.
Tags: news | politics | religious right | elections | 2008 | republican | Rudy Giuliani | Tony Perkins | Family Research Council
