Regardless of failed economic policies, a destructive health care law that most Americans want repealed and the lack of leadership in foreign affairs, Barack Obama will have $1 billion, the support of the majority of the media and a potentially long and divisive Republican primary to assist his re-election in 2012. However, the recently elected Republican governors can assure the nation of a Republican victory by taking control of the election. By organizing now and selecting a candidate from among themselves, forcing all others to step aside for the good of the country, they will neutralize Mr. Obama’s advantages and focus the election on his dismal performance in office.
It is clear that no Republican candidate can win in 2012 without support from Ohio’s John Kasich; Pennsylvania’s Tom Corbett; Florida’s Rick Scott; Virginia’s Bob McDonnell, South Carolina’s Nikki Haley; and certainly not without the support of New Jersey’s Chris Christie. These patriots are all taking on the difficult problems their respective states face and solving them with common sense solutions and firm leadership. They are making decisions, showing courage and taking the political risks necessary to succeed for their people. These are all of the same qualities needed to lead the nation back to greatness and are all of the qualities that Mr. Obama lacks or at least has not demonstrated since taking office.
These governors need to organize into a 2012 election committee and then decide on who among them will run for the presidency. The candidate needs to be one of the governors because neither Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum nor any of the other potential players would be as strong a candidate with independent voters as any of the governors would be. If left to a long and brutal primary to select from one of these former candidates, the party would spend too much money and time to regain financial strength and momentum. Mr. Obama will win a second term by default and the nation will be in serious trouble.
Assuming that the governors will take charge, they must do so before the summer of this year. This will give the candidate as much time to organize a campaign as the Democrats now have, completely neutralizing Mr. Obama’s time advantage. It will also permit the candidate to match the Democrats dollar for dollar in fund raising, eliminating Mr. Obama’s financial advantage. Without the need for a Republican primary, there will not be a long period of Republicans debating Republicans with the eventual candidate bruised by the process. Instead, the candidate will be able to begin to shape the message against this failed presidency and begin to focus the debate on the issues, depriving the Democrats of the advantage of Republican in-fighting for months.
The result will be an even playing field on the basis of time, money and cohesion of party and candidate. The Democrats will be forced to run a long campaign against a united Republican party and they will have to defend a weak president who has hurt the country financially and in the eyes of the world.
Who among the governors will be the candidate? Will Palin, Romney, Gingrich and the others step aside? The later question is easy to answer – yes, they will step aside. Without the support of the recently elected Republican governors, no candidate will win in 2012 and therefore will not have a chance of raising the funds necessary for a successful primary and certainly not to win the general election. Regardless of how strongly their personal ambitions may be, the money will not be there and they will have to step aside.
The “who” is more difficult to answer. Most political analysts would say that New Jersey’s Chris Christie should be the candidate. He has the charisma, political savvy, common sense and leadership necessary to pull the majority of the American electorate behind him. However, he has denied any desire to run. The governors need to organize and speak among themselves about the future of our nation. Mr. Christie is a patriot and he will do what is best for the country. If he becomes the candidate, he will win the presidency in a landslide victory. Mr. Obama’s soaring rhetoric will fall flat against Governor Christie’s ability and courage to speak the truth.
A Republican victory would still likely be achieved should another among the governors emerge as the candidate. The reasons for this prediction is because the election would be equally financed, there will be equal time to organize and the electorate will have a clear choice between demonstrated leadership versus Mr. Obama’s refusal to lead on many issues of national importance and security since he took office.
Our nation is facing certain financial collapse under the weight of trillion dollar deficits and mounting debt. Our economy is hamstrung by growing government regulation and interference with the private sector. Our position in the world has been weakened. Mr. Obama needs to be denied a second term in order to restore our nation’s strength and assure the survival of our liberty. The recently elected Republican governors can save America.
Robert Allen Bonelli is the author of “Liberty Rising,” an accomplished business executive, public speaker and involved citizen.
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