1) Mitt Romney - Gov. Romney remains in the best position to win the GOP nomination in 2012. He continues to do everything right; good interviews, smart policy critiques of Obama without the red meat attacks, joining the he National Council for a New America, etc. He gave a wide ranging speech on national defense spending and budgets to the Heritage Foundation, the most convincing sign yet that Romney is all in for 2012. Until someone else emerges clicking on all cylinders, he will remain poised as the undisputed front-runner for 2012.
2) Sarah Palin - The tabloid stories seemed to have quieted down, as Palin’s fans welcomed news of the Governor’s book due out next year. Palin continues to weigh in on national issues, firing off press releases either countering the President’s policies or giving her own opinion on national events. She continues to compile an impressive email list and grassroots network that could make her a juggernaut in the early states. However, until she proves she can take the heat in interviews and debates without self-immolating, she will be on the outside looking in.
3) Mike Huckabee - Huck is staking out a solid anti-establishment position, attacking the GOP rebranding effort led by Rep. Eric Cantor. He had decided to endorse Marco Rubio over Charlie Crist, stoking his anti-establishment cred even further and setting himself up as the top populist in 2012. However, as long as Palin looks likely to run, Huck will likely end up on the losing end of a populist brawl with the former VP nominee.
4) Tim Pawlenty - Minnesota’s governor has the proven ability to win in the bluest of states (even Reagan never won Minnesota) with his blue-collar Republican message. I imagine T-Paw’s Sam’s Club populism could be quite effective in 2012 after years of bailouts and debt. He is also an evangelical, and could give Palin and Huckabee a run for the support of values voters. Governor Pawlenty could appeal to all sectors of the party in ways that the Big Three from 2008(Romney, Huckabee, Palin) have failed to do. Having decided against a third term bid, Pawlenty is now free to build a national organization and shape his message for a GOP primary.
5) Mark Sanford - The fiscally conservative Governor of South Carolina is quickly becoming a favorite for both insiders and the Libertarian Ron Paul supporters. That kind of combination could make Sanford the real dark horse in 2012. His stimulus fight with Obama may be lost in the short term, but it could potentially set Sanford up with the moral high ground against the President. Sanford’s stance against both the Iraq War and the bailouts could position him as the major populist candidate, both on domestic and foreign policy.
6) John Thune - Senator Thune is the most likely member of the Senate to get the GOP nod in 2012. He has the conservative resume to win over the base, the looks and communication skills to win over the broader electorate, and a chance in the Senate leadership to become the rhetorical counter to Obama the next four years. His lobbying ties and strong religious values could hurt him some with moderates. It seems more and more, however, that the Senator is making all the subtle moves to run. He has become the strategic point man to defeat Obama on Card-Check, Cap and Trade, and other legislation. Senator Thune could emerge as a unifying figure in a field with a number of candidates who have difficulty winning over certain parts of the party; Romney with evangelicals, Huckabee with fiscal cons, Palin with moderates.
7) Jeb Bush - Bush joined the National Council for a New America, signaling his desire to take on a larger role in the national GOP. His name hurts now, but his popularity in Florida shows that he can outrun his brother’s shadow. As of December his brother’s approval rating in Florida was 29%, while his was 65%. His passing on a guaranteed senate victory is telling though. The National Council for a New America gives Jeb a new forum to reintroduce himself and his family name in a much different light, showing people that he is much more the pragmatic and thoughtful leader his brother never was. His name has started to come up from both welcome sources (the Daily Beast) and unwelcome sources (Dick Cheney) as a potential candidate. Expect those calls to get louder and louder, especially with Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the SCOTUS possibly creating even greater losses for the GOP among Hispanics and Jeb’s proven appeal to the Hispanic community.
8 ) Mitch Daniels - A very successful Rust Belt governor, Mitch Daniels proved himself by running what many call the best governor’s campaign of 2008 despite the dreadful climate for republicans. He is a graduate of Princeton and Georgetown, and served as Director of the OMB, while also sitting on the National Security Council and Homeland Security Council. Oh and he’s Arab-American(Syrian to be exact), proving once again that the GOP is far more inclusive then advertised. Recently Daniels has stepped up not only his criticism of Obama’s policies, but of the GOP’s current standing too, sounding a lot like someone who wants to lead the party out of the wilderness.
9) John Ensign - On his way to Iowa for the first time in his career this week is rising Senator John Ensign, who is taking some very public steps to put his name forward as a potential 2012 candidate. Ensign is the popular junior senator from the increasingly important swing state of Nevada. With Ensign’s deep Southwestern Nevada roots, his background as a veterinarian and business owner, and strong conservative principles can make Senator Ensign a solid candidate able of holding the base, expanding the electoral map, and winning over moderates.
10) Newt Gingrich - The former Speaker continues to get some positive coverage, and is making moves that indicate a possible run. It’s clear Gingrich is staking his claim as leader of the party, and is even teasing a New Contract with America in 2010. Gingrich has reformed his image somewhat, from the polarizing figure of the mid-90s to the idea-man of American Solutions. A ‘New Contract with America’ could be a big vote getter and help the former Speaker once again lead a Republican Revolution back into power.
11) Bobby Jindal - At this point, Jindal seems focused on reelection, and that will almost certainly take him out of the race, just as Huntsman’s appointment and Crist’s Senate bid having taken them out of the running. Until he commits to a second term run officially, he will remain a top potential candidate, but as he reelection big seems more and more likely, he will continue to slide on this and other lists. His recent rough patch may force Jindal to target 2016 anyway. However, a VP nomination remains a strong possibility.
12) Kay Bailey Hutchison- Senator Hutchison’s likely election to the Governorship of Texas could serve her well as a platform to launch a national bid. More moderate and experienced than Palin, Hutchison could succeed in winning over women voters where Palin came up short. Her moderate views would make it difficult to win a GOP primary, but defeating the more conservative Rick Perry would be a good example of how she can overcome those odds nationally. If Texas says she is conservative enough, maybe Iowa will as well.
13) Jim DeMint - The purity candidate to say the least, Senator DeMint is as about as conservative as they get, and if the party is truly headed to a purge of moderates, then Senator DeMint stands in good position to be king of what remains. He has a rock solid conservative record and is likely to be a visible opponent of Obama these next 4 years on virtually everything the President wants to do. Senator DeMint happily endorsed Club for Growth head and former Congressman Pat Toomey against then-Republican Arlen Spector, showing just how far DeMint is willing to go for an ideologically pure GOP as well as sending a message to disloyal Republicans in name only. With a record that can win over Iowa’s GOP and a home base in South Carolina, DeMint could emerge as a GOP Howard Dean, leader of the Republican Wing of the Republican Party.
14) Haley Barbour - Governor Barbour is perhaps the greatest strategist in the party. Putting those considerable skills to use, he could build a strong campaign and give himself a good chance to win the primary. However, Barbour is also the man who virtually invented modern lobbying and ran the most powerful lobbying firm in D.C., and while this may make him a legend to the inside-the-Beltway crowd, it would make him a tough sell to average voters. Barbour is still going to be a very important player in the rebuilding of the party, whether he runs or not.
15) Colin Powell - Now that ex-Governor Huntsman has joined up with the Obama Administration as the US Ambassador to China, and Gov. Charlie Crist has launched a 2010 Senate bid that will likely not lead to a Presidential run in 2012, that leaves the party without a true moderate voice. As McCain proved in 2008, there is room for a moderate with certain qualities to navigate a tough GOP primary, and in 2012 the GOP will start off with a big moderate void. Others like Pawlenty, Romney, and Thune may end up appealing to those supporters, but as of now, it’s wide open. Enter Gen. Powell. Colin Powell has thrown himself into the fissure in the GOP, taking more public political stands now than ever before in his career. Perhaps the General is truly sincere about remaking the Republican Party, as his claim of a New Republican Party’s rise on the horizon indicates more interest from the General in politics than I recall him ever taking. The longest of long shots, the then 75 year-old Powell just might be ready to take his shot in remaking politics in this country in his own image, inspired by Obama to finally get off the bench and take action. Perhaps the General finally realizes it could have been him, not Obama, to have rallied a nation as the first African American President. Could Colin Powell take this final chance to make history? Maybe. Ok, maybe not.
Previous Rankings:
1) Mitt Romney
2) Mark Sanford
3) Sarah Palin
4) Mike Huckabee
5) John Thune
6) Jon Huntsman Jr.
7) Tim Pawlenty
8 ) Bobby Jindal
9) Newt Gingrich
10) Jeb Bush
11) Charlie Crist
12) Mitch Daniels
13) Judd Gregg
14) Kay Bailey Hutchison
15) Haley Barbour
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:27 am
Some good adjustments, as the field starts shaking out. Huntsman & Gregg out, with Ensign coming in makes sense. Not sure about Powell though – there’s no basis for him running against Obama having not previously run for office, and previously endorsing Obama.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:39 am
Romney does not belong in the #1 spot. Sucking up the GOP establishment and giving dull speeches to the Heritage Foundation does not make you the front runner.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:43 am
Flip, surely it worked for the likes of McCain in the past? The GOP tend to pick someone acceptable to the establishment. A Howard Dean or John Edwards might get close on the Dem side, but on the GOP side they’d never have a chance…
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:44 am
Flip, if Romney found the cure for cancer you would find something to criticize. Do you even type your comments anymore or are they all cut and paste?
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:47 am
Max,
Don’t disagree with your rankings but what was your thinking behind moving Sanford behind Palin, Huckabee, and Pawlenty? Did you think his profile was significantly lower than it was the last time you did the rankings?
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:47 am
Mitt on Fox News Sunday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAQ6_ArxxTI
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:49 am
How soon before Cheney finds himself on one of these lists?
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:58 am
#3, was McCain really part of the GOP establishment? He was the maverick who opposed his own party on a lot of key issues.
Just look at the polls, Rom-bots. Huckabee and Palin usually come in ahead of Romney. In some polls, even Newt Gingrich does better than the Mitten.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:58 am
Max,
Sanford and Palin may also be competing for the anti-federal government vote. In addition to the stimulus, it appears that they were the only two governors on this list to not sign “onto the National Governors Association/Council of Chief State School Officers effort to pursue common academic standards.”
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2009/06/just_about_everybody_wants_com.html
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:00 am
8 – Tell our nominees Allen and Giuliani how accurate that early national polling is.
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:00 am
46 States, D.C. Plan to Draft Common Education Standards
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/31/AR2009053102339.html
I’m surprised that so many from our side are buying this effort by Obama to get the federal government even more involved in education.
“The nearly complete support of governors for the effort — leaders in Texas, Alaska, Missouri and South Carolina are the only ones that have not signed on — is key. Many Republicans oppose nationally mandated standards, saying schools should not be controlled by Washington. But there is broad support for a voluntary effort that bubbles up from the states.”
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:01 am
GetReal,
Thanks for the link. That was a great interview.
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:02 am
#10, the difference is that Romney ran before. He’s a known quantity, and the voters have decided they don’t like him.
They won’t change their minds about that over the next few years, no matter how much $$$$ the Mitten decides to spend.
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:05 am
12 – No problem.
13 – I’m a voter and I like him.
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:06 am
13 – Oh, and McCain had run before and was a known quantity and Rudy was mopping the floor with him in early polling.
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:15 am
#13. Translation: I don’t like him and have nothing else to offer.
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:57 am
Here’s another video of Mitt…I believe it was taken at the Virginia Gala event that he headlined on Friday. Keep in mind that I didn’t write the title in case any of you want to jump on me for something….
Romney: Much of Massachusetts’ Mandatory Health Care Plan Could be Applied Nationwide
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=48842
June 2nd, 2009 at 2:36 am
Why move Palin up? I think her odds are down. I don’t think shes running, and if she did, I think she would fall to pieces during the campaign
My rankings:
1) Mitt Romney
2) Mike Huckabee
3) Mark Sanford
4) Tim Pawlenty
5) Sarah Palin
6) Newt Gingrich
7) John Thune
9) John Ensign
10) Haley Barbour
11) Ron Paul
12) Mitch Daniels
13) Kay Bailey Hutchison
14) Jeb Bush
15) Olympia Snowe (She wouldn’t run and she wouldn’t win, but I wish she would)
June 2nd, 2009 at 2:48 am
Or perhaps we can start naming weird off the wall candidates for 2012.
George H.W. Bush for a second term!
McCain, again!
Rush Limbaugh!
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:02 am
Pete duPont.
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:51 am
Huckabee says: He had decided to endorse Marco Rubio over Charlie Crist
Finally, Huckabee does something right.
)
No question Romney #1.
For positions 2 through 5 you could put them in any order and you would be right. A lot has to do with who really runs. Its hard to imagine Palin ahd Huckabee both running at the same time and getting any where. They will split that base. Same can be said some what of Pawlenty.
I still think Standford is #2.
If Jeb decides to run, I would expect him to push toward the top. That would hurt Romney but would be good for the Party.
Based on what would be good for the Party and not necessarily rankings, I would like to see Romney, Jeb, and Standford be the top tier candidates.
I would like to see Palin and Huckabee go away as they have no real chance and simple stir up trouble. Huckabee more than Palin. Don’t see how Palin makes a run at it at all, and doubt she will. More likely will run for re-election and maybe the senate after that. Huckabee may opt to stay on TV where he is better suited.
Thanks to Huckabee, being a evangelical may not be such a good thing, as I tend not to trust them any more, and therefore I have somewhat of distrust for Pawlenty.
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:15 am
Good job! However, I don’t think Powell should be on the list at all.
http://www.evangelicalsformitt.org/front_page/watch_it_yourself.php
Flip, if you watch the clip before making ignorant comments, it may help you not to embarass yourself. Actually watch it and tell us how boring you think it is.
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:31 am
It’s Sanford ffs.
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:41 am
Pretty good rankings I think.
The only real quibble I have is including Powell. He’s not trying to re-form the GOP, he’s taking shots because he supports Obama, just as he endorsed him last year. There is more chance of me winning the Presidency than Powell running.
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:46 am
I think it’s fairly straight forward putting how the tiers look.
Tier 1 is the Big 3- all have big name ID, large networks of built in supporters, and national media exposure whenever they want it.
Tier 2 is Pawlenty, Thune, Sanford, and Gingrich. The first 3 there lack the name ID and the national base of the Big 3, but have the potential to get it. Gingrich is a known, national figure, but so damaged he doesn’t qualify as tier 1. I would include Mitch Daniels here if he showed more inclination.
Tier 3 is everyone else. Some because they will almost definitely not run (Jeb Bush) and some because it definitely won’t matter if they run (Barbour and Ensign).
June 2nd, 2009 at 7:10 am
Kay Bailey and Colin Powell are RINOs without any chance.
June 2nd, 2009 at 7:33 am
Very accurate rankings in deed. I would take Mr. Powell off the list and put Mr. Crist on it. It was a wise move by Mr. Huckabee to chose Mr. Rubio in the Senate race. Mr. Rubio is a good potential VP for almost any candidate.
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:46 am
I would be like a pig in mud if the battle came down to Romney v Sanford for the nomination. I would be ecstatic to see either of those men topping the ticket with the other as #2.
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:58 am
7. Cheney will be in jail before 2012, so he should not be on the list.
This list could end after #3, so I agree with MWS on tiers. Good heavens, rev up the snow
blowers in Hell.
I would not put Mitt in #1 spot, unless you have inside information that
Steele or whoever moved him into leadership wants him as the nominee. Even
then, Huck may have an insurgency. When push comes to shove, Palin does not
have it in her to run a year long presidential campaign in the public eye. She
may be out by the first caucus. If she does not win Iowa or New Hampshire, she
is out. If Huck wins in Iowa and beats Mitt in New Hampshire, the die will
be pretty much cast. If Mitt wins New Hampshire and Iowa, Huck is done and
the primary season will be a coronation, in which case look for Huck as #2 on
the ticket. If Mitt wants to at least keep the base and win in Virginia,
North Carolina and Florida, he needs Huck on the ticket.
June 2nd, 2009 at 9:24 am
Just throwing this out there but what about Mike Pence?
June 2nd, 2009 at 9:44 am
Cheney will be in jail before 2012
lol one can only dream, right?
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:26 am
Flip dixon is annoying.
I hate huck…. alot, but i am still capable of objective analysis.
I don’t accept the conventional wisdom that there is no room for huck with palin in the race anymore. While that was true some time ago I disagree. I think Palin has been damaged pretty badly and Huck has overcome his biggest problem he faced during the last go around: being taken seriously.
I would say he is tied for one given the way the primary schedule is set up (Iowa and SC). I think his biggest problem will be that republicans who run against he establishment just don’t win. Romney flirted with that in 08. That said if ther eis a time it would work, it would be now. I think he has a real shot. He is also a masterful politician and the smoothest speaker the gop has. I hate his guts, but maybe we should start saying that there is no room for Palin if Huck stays in the race.
Romney is clearly running at this point and doing a great job. It may be enough to get the nod from the GOP but I wonder if such a conventional campaign will be enough to win the general. I say no if things don’t change.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:29 am
MWS.#25:
I think you hit the nail on the head. The big three are the top tier at the present time. The polls (which must be taken with a huge grain of salt this far out) show none of them as the break-away favorite. They are all within a handful of points of each other. That is margin-of-error stuff for most of the polls. Neither one of them can really lay claim to being the Frontrunner.
Under the right circumstances, one or two of the second tier could break into the top tier. It will be difficult, especially since there are already three firmly implanted in the top tier. A hole will definitely open if one or more of the big three don’t run.
I can see either Sanford or Pawlenty potentially (possibly both) making the jump to the top group. The odds are longer for Thune. They almost always favor Governors over Senators. 2008 proved there are exceptions, but that is just what they are — exceptions.
I would be tempted to create a sub-2 tier for Newt Gingrich. He is a man of obvious name recognition and influence, but the chances of him making it to the top group are next to none. Jeb Bush might also belong in 2-B with Newt. Good man, excellent qualifications, no chance of making it. *sigh* Well, nobody said life is fair.
The rest have little influence and little chance of getting any. They belong in the third tier. Climbing from the third tier up to the first is next to impossible. Only under extraordinary circumstances can that happen.
All the above comes with the following caveat: The primaries are more than 30 months away. That is an eternity in politics. Anything can happen.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:51 am
Rudy may jump to number 1 on the list prior to the primary.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:51 am
I don’t think palin or pawlenty will be running, ditto jeb bush but i now think bush will be open to being veep and even with his last name, whoever is the gop nominee could do worse for thier veep…bush seals flordia for the gop and his wife helps with the hispanic vote in western states. Yet, i would probably bet romney edges out huck for the nomination and for the veep, demands on how close the primary is but i lean towards the gop putting up a female veep no matter who wins, maybe a romney/marsha blackburn ticket.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:52 am
Pawlenty isn’t running for reelection! Fox news just announced.
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:01 am
OK i change my mind pawlenty probably will be running for president now, thought was running for re-election instead which would have ko’d his prez run…guess his gameplan is if the gop wins in 2012 he will either be prez, vprez, or cabinet member, if they lose, he will run for senate in 2014.
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:03 am
#29: I’d agree that a Romney/Huckabee ticket could be very strong… but unfortunately Huckabee’s actions outside of the scope of when both men were running for the nomination have made this almost impossible.
Where I’d respectfully disagree is the statement that Romney “needs” Huckabee, as I mentioned above, it could possibly be a strong ticket…. but I think Sanford, Jeb, Cantor, Jindal, and perhaps dark horse Kay Bailey Hutchinson could also be very strong picks. (Palin would also be a great fit, although I doubt she’d settle for VP again). Likewise, all those mentioned could benefit from Romney as the VP to make a complete a ticket that voters could be confident pulling the lever for.
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:10 am
Pawlenty’s approval has slipped and he’d be vulnerable in another guber race, especially if he doesn’t certify Franken’s win (absent a court order.) He’ll probably run for president and drop out if he doesn’t get a win in Iowa to launch himself.
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:21 am
Well now, Pawlenty’s announcement certainly makes things more interesting. So if Pawlenty throws his hat into the ring, who among the big three does this hurt more? He has to carve away support from one or more of them to have a chance. Who’s it going to be?
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:37 am
Isn’t Colin Power a Move On, Daily Kos, Code Pink democrat?.
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:42 am
Reading this over at GOP12.com, shows why some think Romney is the front runner and why they love him, but then again, it is also why Americans are tired of money and connections in politics and are heading back to the teaparties:
Romney-heavy firm nears milestone
A venture capital and private equity firm with deep ties to Mitt Romney, Solamere Capital, has neared its $200 million fundraising goal (it currently stands at $186 million).
Mass High Tech on the figures associated with the LLC:
The Lexington-based firm is mostly staffed with Republican Party figures connected to Taggart Romney’s father, former Massachusetts governor and 2008 presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Taggart Romney founded the firm last June with Eric Scheuermann and Spencer Zwick. Zwick was campaign finance manager on Mitt Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign…. Kansas City-based National Beef Packing Co. CEO John Miller is the firm’s operating partner, and former Missouri Republican Gov. Matt Blunt joined the firm in December as a senior adviser.
Blunt helped raise funds for Mitt Romney during his 2008 presidential candidacy, and Miller was a campaign contributor.
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:55 am
OK, what is wrong with make money?
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:39 pm
There is nothing wrong with making money when one has a job. What I am talking about is the money and connections involved in politics. People are tired of all of the behind the scenes money and power grabbing that goes on in politics.
June 2nd, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Public Against Closing Gitmo, Sides With Cheney
http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/2009/06/02/public-sides-with-cheney-against-closing-gitmo/
Waste of Capital
What Social Security and Guantanamo Bay have in common.
http://online.wsj.com/article/best_of_the_web_today.html
Zawahiri To Obama: “You Are Not Welcome in Egypt”
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/06/02/monitor/entry5057096.shtml
Zawahri urges Egyptians to reject “criminal” Obama
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE5516KT20090602
Muslim Convert Singled Out Soldiers, Prosecutor Says
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/us/03recruit.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=print
How Washington blew GM’s bankruptcy
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/cd00d2c6-4ee2-11de-8c10-00144feabdc0,dwp_uuid=73adc504-2ffa-11da-ba9f-00000e2511c8,print=yes.html
Sonia Sotomayor explains her “wise Latina” remark
http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=USTRE55163820090602
Why I would oppose Sonia Sotomayor
By Rick Santorum
http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=9DC16ED8-18FE-70B2-A8697EBDD2E7C8EE
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Economic Stimulus. H.R. 5140, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, passed 385-35 on January 29, 2008 (Roll Call 25). It would provide about $150 billion in economic stimulus, including $101.1 billion in direct payments of rebate checks (typically $600) to most taxpayers in 2008 and temporary tax breaks for businesses. Creating money out of thin air and then spending the newly created money cannot improve the economy, at least not in the long term. (If it could, why not create even more money for rebates and make every American a millionaire?) The stimulus has no offset and thus increases the federal deficit by the amount of the stimulus because the government must borrow the rebate money. A realistic long-term stimulus can only be achieved by lowering taxes through less government and by reducing regulatory burdens. Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.(Source: The New American – July 21, 2008)
Marsha Blackburn is my Congressman.
She is no conservative.
See her unconstitutional votes at :
http://bluecollarrepublican.com/blog/?p=614
Mickey