Will the GOP end up in a brokered convention with a none-of-the-above nominee emerging?

[OmahaBlueDog]

First is the fact that so many GOP voters still can’t summon much enthusiasm for their likely standard-bearer. In a poll released last week, the Pew Research Center found that an incredible 52 percent of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents consider the field of candidates only fair or poor. Just 46 percent assessed the field as good or excellent — compared to 68 percent who were satisfied with the contenders at the same point in the battle for the nomination four years ago.

In Florida, exit polls confirmed Pew’s findings: Nearly four in 10 GOP voters said they were unhappy with their choices. It is reasonable to assume that many Republicans who didn’t bother to vote — and thus were not sampled in exit polls — are probably even less enthusiastic.

Read more at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/mitt-romney-the-front-runner-who-leaves-the-gop-cold/2012/02/06/gIQAn0L5uQ_story.html

Romney? Santorum? Gingrich? Is it possible that if there is no first ballot nominee, the Republicans will draft someone like Chris Christie or Mike Huckabee as their nominee? There would certainly be a risk in running an untested, unvetted nominee, but seeing the lower than 2008 turnouts for most primaries and caucuses, and seeing the unenthusiastic reception for the current slate makes me wonder if anyone we're seeing now will actually be Barack Obama's opponent in the Fall?

[arbusto_baboso]

1. That depends entirely on whether the GOP thinks they could possibly wein this election.

If they've given up 2012 as a lost cause, then they'll just make their nominee a sacrificial lamb.

Who could be better for that than Mittens?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. they should stick with one of the motley crew

[OmahaBlueDog]

5. Motley Crue? I thought it was Megadeath who endorsed Santorum?

(sorry, couldn't resist)

[Rosa Luxemburg]

12. LOL!

[Rageneau]

3. Revenge of the I, Jeb?

Stay out the Bushes.

[customerserviceguy]

4. I'll admit, I'm starting to worry

I would love a brokered convention, with charges of theft emerging afterwards that would tear up the Repigs.

But I have to say, I think that after Super Tuesday, Gingrich is permanently sidelined, with votes half of what Ron Paul can get, even if he stays in, and Romney gets his first mortal wounds. I really do fear that Santorum can capture the nomination, not just make it damned tough for Mittens to get it or a brokered convention to emerge.

If Santorum can win both Michigan and Arizona, we'll know we're on the path to that certainty. I already expect Sicky Ricky to win Michigan, and deal a serious blow to the Romney brand. If he can win ST, then I only concede Massachusetts to Romney, and maybe Georgia (yes, Noot's backyard, Santorum will not waste any time campaigning there).

[OmahaBlueDog]

7. Newt won't get shut out on Super Tuesday

Alaska - I'd guess Ron Paul, but who knows
Georgia - Newt
Idaho - Latest poll shows Santorum, but Southern ID has a substantial LDS population. I still think Romney has a decent shot here.
Massachusetts - Romney
North Dakota No clue - but let's guess Santorum
Ohio No clue - but let's guess Santorum
Oklahoma - I'd like Newt's chances here
Tennessee -I'd like Newt's chances here
Vermont - Romney
Virginia - Didn't Newt fail to qualify here? I'll guess Santorum

[customerserviceguy]

9. On your guesses

I can see Santorum winning Alaska.

Mittens has invested heavy money in Georgia, he might beat Noot there. In that case, the Grinch is officially finished.

As for Idaho, let's see what happens in Arizona. Both are non-Utah parts of the Jello Belt. I can see a path to a Santorum victory, but you're right, it is most likely Mitt.

Yeah, MA will go for Romney.

I agree that ND will go Santorum, and Ohio as well.

I see Santorum winning both OK and TN, I liked the Noot's chances in those states really well after SC. But he's appeared to have faded considerably since then.

Vermont would be an easy guess for Romney, but Vermonters have a great sense of independence from the rest of New England. I'm saying Santorum gets it there.

Santorum is not on the ballot in VA. Only Mittens and Paul are. If Santorum and Noot tell their voters in VA to vote for Paul as a way of sticking it to Mittens, then I give the state to Paul. If not, Romney wins a hollow victory there.

Out of the ten contests, I give five or six to Santorum, three or four for Romney (all considered slam dunks) and maybe one to Noot with Paul having one, with help. Santorum makes headlines as the big victor on Super Tuesday.

[libtodeath]

6. No

the teabaggers have been looking for anybody but Romney and now it is down to him and Santorum.
Santorum I bet gets the momentum and has it locked up before the convention.

It will be a landslide defeat for him in the general I believe.

[OmahaBlueDog]

8. Kind of a repeat of '64

I don't know. I still like Romney's chances in places like NY and CA. Also, Perry might resurface and try to make a stand in Texas in May if it looks like the delegate count is close.

[customerserviceguy]

10. Way too soon to predict the general

but I do fear a Santorum first ballot victory. He's got the big mo, and he's figured out how to play his cards right. He spent TWO days in Washington state, the place that has its caucuses the Saturday before Super Tuesday. He managed to use the issue of the signing of the bill for equal marriage in the first state in the West (CA has its freedom stuck in the Federal courts) to appeal to fundie support in a state that went for Pat freaking Robertson back in 1988 on the GOP side.

Mittens will turn up the slime machine, but Santorum's already figured out a way to deal with that, making perfect fun of his Google search term.

[BeHereNow]

11. Maybe they will drag McCain back to the circus?

Sans Palin of course.

I really can't see a candidate for the republicans.
While a percentage of them are bat-shit crazy, I think
a larger percentage of them have enough intelligence to know they've
been handed a bag of coal this election.

Guess the powers that be didn't count on their base to actually
realize they don't have a candidate.

The only way one of the clowns could win would be with
MASSIVE voting machine rigging.

BHN