Results of the Iowa caucuses

I would like to congratulate Governor Mike Huckabee on his stunning victory in Iowa last night. Huckabee brings a lot to the table running on the issue of principled moral conservative change and as the most socially conservative candidate in the race. Equally commendable has been his commitment to stay positive in the face of relentless negative attacks against him. I would also like to congratulate Mitt Romney for his second place showing. Romney has worked very hard and has spent a lot of money including over $20 million of his own personal fortune in Iowa and New Hampshire and has one last chance to defeat Senator John McCain in New Hampshire in order to retake his frontrunner status away from Mike Huckabee. Given his fundraising advantage and willingness to employ negative attack ads against his rivals to the hilt, I would not rule him out just yet. I believe that we all owe a debt of gratitude to both Huckabee and Romney for saving the Republican Party from a Giuliani nomination which I believe would be calamitous for the Republican Party given his liberal stands on the issues. The Giuliani campaign is for all extents finished at this point following his anemic sixth place showing in Iowa.

I would also like to congratulate Ron Paul who has been competing with Mike Huckabee as the principled conservative change candidate in this race for his surprisingly strong double digit showing. Ron Paul has raised attention to a lot of important issues which might not have otherwise received a fair hearing principally his opposition to continuing the war in Iraq which is shared by about a third of Republicans and his articulation of why we were attacked on 9-11 and how to better prevent terrorist attacks in the future. Equally important, Ron Paul has brought a lot of very excited and intense supporters into the Republican Party many of whom have never voted before at a time when most of the excitement has been on the Democrat side to retake the White House away from George W. Bush. The intensity of his support was showcased by his record fundraising of over $6 million in one day and nearly $20 million this past quarter which was more than any other Republican candidate. Following the primary campaign, hopefully he will put some of that money to good use in the future by forming a Liberty PAC to assist like-minded conservative candidates running for office. It is my fervent hope that these new Ron Paul Republicans remain in the Republican Party even if Ron Paul is not successful in his campaign to be the next Republican presidential nominee. I believe that if Mike Huckabee is elected President, the chances of Ron Paul being offered a cabinet position are reasonably good. Either way, I believe Ron Paul and his supporters will continue to play an important part in the Republican Party in the years to come.

The race has now come down to a three-man race between Mike Huckabee and either Mitt Romney or John McCain. The results of next Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary will determine which of the two establishment status quo candidates will battle it out with Huckabee who is the most conservative of the three and the only one who is promising substantial changes in America’s foreign and domestic policy if elected President including implementing fair trade, protecting American jobs, ending our messianic policy of imposing democracy by force in the Middle East, fighting illegal immigration, securing America’s borders, defending our independence and sovereignty and abolishing the hated income tax which hurts individuals, businesses and economic productivity in this country. If McCain can hold on to his narrow lead in New Hampshire, I believe Huckabee will ultimately defeat him to become the Republican presidential nominee to face Hillary or Obama in November. If Romney wins, his fundraising advantage may well enable him to prevail over Huckabee and become the nominee. I pledge to support whichever of the two wins in November.

Even though Hillary came in third place in November, she still has a chance to recover and defeat Obama in New Hampshire. If she loses in New Hampshire I believe that Obama will become the Democratic nominee. Many Republicans are hoping Hillary is the nominee because her high negatives offer greater hope of a Republican victory and reducing our losses in the House and Senate this November. I tend to agree with them.