Shaking Up The GOP Field

By Carole on Sep 24, 2011

After his win today in Florida's Presidency 5 straw poll, former Godfather Pizza CEO Herman Cain declared, "This is a sign of our growing momentum and my candidacy that cannot be ignored." With all due respect to Mr. Cain, it is more likely a sign that none of the candidates have been able to gain any lasting momentum and there is still no clear frontrunner whose message, skills and record are good enough for primary voters.

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For months former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney held a substantial lead in the polls but he seems to have been merely a placeholder until a more conservative yet electable candidate entered the race. For a few weeks that has been Texas Governor Rick Perry who rose to the top spot in the polls almost instantly, but his poor performances in recent debates have him fading already (he finished a very distant second today in Orlando).

Chances are Mr. Cain will enjoy the same few days of media buzz and at least a small bump in the polls due to his victory today. But just as Congresswoman Michele Bachmann was considered a top-tier candidate for a short period after she won Iowa's Ames straw poll, sustained momentum for any of the current candidates is unlikely.

It's becoming clear that the only way the GOP can avoid the same kind of unenthusiastic process that led to John McCain's nomination in 2008 is to shake up the field with a dynamic, charismatic candidate who has a clear vision of how to govern, a successful record of implementing that vision and the ability to communicate that vision effectively. Or two.

While New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is reconsidering a 2012 presidential run and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is still considering her own bid, many likely Republican primary voters are already enthused about one or the other. There's no doubt that a debate between them would offer much more than the sound bytes and infighting we've gotten from the declared candidates so far.

Imagine Mr. Christie and Mrs. Palin articulating their own brands of conservatism, their ideas for defeating President Barack Obama and their plans for getting the nation back on track. Imagine a debate centering on the merits of those ideas and plans instead of the current group of candidates desperately trying to eek out another point in the polls by exaggerating their records or attacking each other with half-truths.

Even if Governors Christie and Palin both eventually decide not to run, a debate between them might provide the kind of clarity and focus the party needs. And those who are running just might learn a few things too.