According to a report by South Carolina edition of The State Column, Sen. Jim DeMint is giving serious consideration to entering the presidential race. DeMint would seek to capitalize on the perceived “conservative void” in the Republican 2012 presidential field that many were hoping would be filled by Rep. Mike Pence:
South Carolina U.S. Senator Jim DeMint is reportedly considering a run for president in 2012.
The South Carolina Republican, who ruled out the possibility of a run, is said to be reconsidering his decision in light of Rep. Mike Pence’s official withdrawal from the race.
Mr. DeMint, who raised his national profile during the 2010 mid-term election, continues to build his base amongst those in the Tea Party movement and in the conservative wing of the Republican Party.
A DeMint presidential run would likely complicate plans for former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, both of whom are considered the front-runners of the 2012 Republican Party presidential primary (neither have officially announced their candidacy).
Those most likely to be directly impacted by a DeMint run include former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who would compete with DeMint for supporters and financing
Sen. DeMint will travel to Iowa on March 26 to address a conservative forum organized by Rep. Steve King.
In other news, Rudy Giuliani will travel to New Hampshire on March 18th to keynote the Manchester City Republican Committee’s Lincoln-Reagan Dinner fund-raiser:
RUDY’S RETURN. The Granite Status has learned that Rudy Giuliani is planning a return visit to the first-in-the-nation primary state in mid-March.
Sources say the former New York City mayor is slated to keynote the Manchester City Republican Committee’s Lincoln-Reagan Dinner fund-raiser on March 18. The event is slated to be held at the Executive Court banquet facility.
Although he finished fourth in the 2008 first-in-the-nation presidential primary, Giuliani built a dedicated following in the state and he returned to help the state’s GOP ticket during the 2010 mid-term election.
He has not deterred speculation that he’s considering running again in 2012.
This visit, in addition to his statements from last week that there is an opening in the Republican presidential field for a “moderate” candidate to exploit will do little to quell the speculation that Hizzoner is “all in” for another presidential run.
And finally, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman encouraged former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty to run for president in remarks given to a Cincinnati area Republican group this morning:
Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said Saturday that he hopes former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) runs for president in 2012.
Portman, speaking at a Cincinnati-area pancake breakfast where Pawlenty was the guest, stopped short of endorsing the likely presidential candidate, but encouraged Pawlenty to run.
“You know, I am not endorsing anyone, but I am happy to introduce any candidate who comes here to people like you,” Portman said, according to Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Howard Wilkinson. “But I hope Tim Pawlenty will run because he has a great record and a great message.”
Portman may be new to the Senate, but his opinion carries some weight in Republican circles. He’s a former U.S. Trade Representative and director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the Bush administration, and before that, served in the House.
The import of Portman’s statement are aided by his status as a Republican representing a state, Ohio, that’s a key bellwether in presidential elections.
Finally, consider this your Saturday Open Thread.
January 29th, 2011 at 3:24 pm
Republicans are palying a dangerous game looking for anyone and everyone to run….it makes Obama’s job far easier.
January 29th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
Matthew,
You have to remember that while a lot of candidates jump in, many will drop out by the time Ames rolls around. We’ll end up with a field of 5-8 candidates by Iowa, and be down to 2 after New Hampshire.
January 29th, 2011 at 3:47 pm
Interesting that Portman is a Pawlenty fan. That’s a pretty good endorsement for T-Paw; Portman has ties to the Bush administration and the GOP Establishment. He also won a huge victory in 2010 in one of the purplest states in a America.
Plus, Portman’s on my list for VP; he’ll help with Ohio and the Midwest plus he gives a Governor a running mate with Washington experience.
January 29th, 2011 at 6:29 pm
If DeMint gets in, he takes Newt out of the equation, and pretty much takes South Carolina out as well…..although he might well wind up being a factor in his own right. It’s too early to speculate on how he would do in Iowa, but assuming he’s still in the race by the time SC comes up, he will assume favorite son status there. Other viable candidates will probably forgo the state.
There’s a possibility he would do well in Nevada, as a major player in Tea Party circles.
January 29th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
DeMint isn’t gonna run.
Bachmann, Barbour/Daniels team, Santorum, Huntsman Jr. all probably will – joining Huck, Romney, Thune, and Pawlenty. Oh, and Cain.
Newt: 50/50
Palin: 10/90
January 29th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
DeMint will endorse Tea Party Queen Bachmann.
January 29th, 2011 at 7:37 pm
Almost forgot Ron Paul or Gary Johnson. Hmmm…. Probably GJ.
January 29th, 2011 at 9:04 pm
So if DeMint wins Iowa…will the importance of winning Iowa will be undermined? He’s on record for wanting to purge the Republican party of anyone who is not a far right wing Conservative.
This isn’t the time to prove a point. He can use the Tea Party for that….. he’s getting plenty of attention..We can’t afford to knock the more electable Candidates out of the race….. even though it’s good for my Candidate Mitt Romney.
January 29th, 2011 at 9:09 pm
Doubt if DeMint could even get close to double digits in IA.
January 29th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
Craig,
The way you cavalierly state opinions as certitudes, you might delude the occasional lurker here into assuming you know what you’re talking about.
January 30th, 2011 at 6:45 am
Dave, my friend..
We’ll see if DeMint gets any traction and is a factor in Iowa, but I campaigned there for almost two months for Huckabee last cycle and I just don’t see it happening for Jim. I think he’s too low key in retail politicking and sounknown outside of SC that he would have had to start his campaign by now or at least very soon to gain traction, imo. He hasn’t and he won’t. It’s that old “fire in the belly” that he lacks. He’ll remain a Senator.
Here’s the order I think we’ll get in Iowa 2012′s larger field my friend:
1st – Huck with about 35% or even 40% this time
2nd – Mitt,your candidate not bad with his 20% – less than ’08
3rd – Pawlenty with about 15%
4th – Bachmann, a hardcore Tea Party with li’l more than 10%
5th – Huntsman Jr., surprisingly with about the same as Bachmann
6th and lower – Of those that run amongst Daniels, DeMint, Johnson, Cain and Thune = all in low single digits
..AND yes, I’ll be camped out there in Iowa at the end of the year through next January in the snow while knocking on doors and driving folks around etc etc for a couple months working to get another win for 10 1/2 year Governor Huckabee. This time though, I’m making time for South Carolina afterwards, TOO!
–
Btw, the 2008 numbers in IA were..
Mike Huckabee Arkansas Republican } 34.41%
Mitt Romney Massachusetts Republican } 25.23%
Fred Thompson Tennessee Republican } 13.40%
John McCain Arizona Republican } 13.11%
Ron Paul Texas Republican } 9.96%
Rudolph W. Giuliani New York Republican } 3.45%
January 30th, 2011 at 6:58 am
Yes, I’m leaving out Newt and Palin although each would be about 10 percenters in Iowa on ID name recognition alone. But they’re not going to run since one has too much personal baggage and both would be trounced by Obama as the polls show. Plus they’ve maxed out their recognizability. What you see is what you get with those two.
Anyway, we have better candidates like Pawlenty and Bachmann to take their place in Iowa.
January 30th, 2011 at 7:15 am
And I’m convinced that only one of the twins, Daniels and Barbour will run. Some think it will be Barbour (I kinda hope they’re right) but It should be the better of the two which in my opinion is Daniels. But it’s the same problem as DeMint, too low key and not enough communication skills to fire up the base and others.