California Conservative

Mark McKinnon’s column suggests that we throw CW out the window the next few cycles. I wholeheartedly concur with one exception:

Early betting had focused largely on Republican front-runners Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty (both of whom would instantly be challenged by the favored filly, Sarah Palin, if she runs). But given the political environment we are in now, and likely will be for awhile, conventional wisdom should be tossed out the window.

So who is likely to gain traction and interest, and perhaps ultimately the nomination? The odds increasingly favor someone like Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels or South Dakota Senator John Thune.

Tim Pawlenty has made a career of people underestimating him. I won’t be foolish enough to write him off just because of Mr. McKinnon’s column. He’s too good at retail politicking to do that.

That said, John Thune and Mitch Daniels would certainly be formidable adversaries if they ran. Here’s the part that I wholeheartedly agree with:

Let’s face it, Romney is old news. Been there, done that and passed already. He’s going to have a hell of time explaining to the GOP base how his Massachusetts health care plan is different than Obama’s.

I’ve repeatedly said that Mitt’s health care problem is his undoing. It’s his personal millstone, a millstone that will bury his presidential ambitions. Here’s the part of Mr. McKinnon’s column that I disagree with:

And Pawlenty just isn’t getting any firm footing. His candidacy, at this stage, is not seen as viable. He tacked rightward out of the chute and made himself look like this cycle’s Mitt Romney flip-flopper, prostrating himself before the right wing of the party—even though it was his independent, reform-minded approach that made him an interesting prospect in the first place.

Calling Gov. Pawlenty a flip-flopper is BS. Yes, he signed the Health Impact Fee to end the 2005 government shutdown. That’s the only blemish to his fiscal conservative credentials. He’s got impeccable credentials in reforming Minnesota’s health care system.

Mr. McKinnon’s saying that Gov. Pawlenty “tacked rightward out of the chute” isn’t reality. He didn’t “tack rightward.” It’s who he is. Unlike Romney, he didn’t start off pro-choice, then change for expediency sake to pro-life, then flip-flopped again later.

This is why I consider Mitch Daniels such a formidable opponent:

Daniels will be hard to match when it comes to substance, detail and record of accomplishment. He inherited a state hundreds of millions in debt and since taking office has balanced every budget. And he’s done it while enacting the largest tax cut in state history, ethics and telecom reform, and a fully-funded tax- and debt-free transportation plan.

Daniels’ blunt, plain-spoken and results-oriented approach will be viewed by the GOP faithful as strong assets against an incumbent president perceived as the opposite.

And Daniels does it his own way. He runs refreshingly positive campaigns absent the usual consultant-driven trappings and sound bites. Indiana is a heartland, bell-weather state that generally reflects presidential outcomes and broader electoral trends. So who better to run for president than an Indiana governor with a stratospheric 69 percent approval rating.

People are looking for principled leadership, especially if it’s principled leadership with results. Mitch Daniels has that in spades. He’s got a great track record with real health care reform, having reduced costs and premiums in Indiana. Balancing the budget while cutting taxes and keeping the budget balanced is something impressive, especially considering the current economic environment.

It’s important that people realize that campaign style matters. Days upon days of gotcha attacks on opponents don’t work like they did 20 years ago. People want to be inspired. That’s what drives volunteerism on the GOP side. That’s what’s got people excited about this year’s elections.

Putting a principled pro-growth capitalist conservative in the White House, accompanied by a principled capitalist conservative majority on Capitol Hill would fix alot of the damage being done by this administration. Picking between Gov. Pawlenty, Sen. Thune and Gov. Daniels would put a smile on my face.

Technorati Tags: John Thune, Mitch Daniels, Tim Pawlenty, GOP Nominee, Health Care, Taxes, Balanced Budgets, Conservatism, Mitt Romney, Mandates, Republicans, Election 2012

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog