Hard core social conservatives demand hard core social conservative policies
by digby
I wrote about anti-abortion warrior meeting yesterday, and this article doesn’t add much to it except for the polling that shows the hardcore social conservatives will vote for any of the candidates as long as they present themselves as evangelical crusaders:
Invoking fiery references to Satan, “savagery” and a “culture of death” to criticize their opponents, anti-abortion lawmakers on Wednesday insisted that Republican contenders keep an intense focus on social issues in the upcoming midterm elections and the 2016 presidential race.
Like many abortion opponents, the Susan B. Anthony List is in search of a White House contender who won’t shy from social issues after back-to-back presidential nominees in 2008 and 2012 who focused their campaigns on the economy and came up short. Several potential 2016 candidates were making their pitches in blunt terms, urging the group members to stick to their principles and fight those who would stand in their way.
[…]
In a Washington Post-ABC News poll published this month, 50 percent of conservative Republicans and 46 percent of white evangelical Protestants said they would consider voting for Cruz. Huckabee drew potential support among 50 percent of conservatives and 44 percent of evangelicals.Other candidates who did not speak to the abortion summit fared about as well. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, hardly a social warrior, drew potential consideration of 45 percent of conservative Republicans and 40 percent of evangelicals. And Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., would be considered by 52 percent of conservative Republicans and 43 percent of evangelicals.
The key for these voters is backing a 2016 candidate who opposes abortion.
To be perfectly honest, I think Mike Huckabee is the perfect GOP candidate for 2016. He’s a hardcore social conservative with a bit of a “populist” sheen (which is to say that he doesn’t call poor people lazy slackers doesn’t have that patrician image that revealed Mitt Romney’s affinity for the 1%.) He’s got a nasty streak that can appeal to the right wingers, but he puts a smile on his bigotry and hatred in downright Reaganesque fashion.
But who knows? If he’s the best they can do, I doubt it will be enough. On the other hand, we have a long way to go and events may conspire to change the whole picture before then. Things can change quickly in this fast paved world we live in.
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