Many of those voters who favored John McCain tonight had to hold their noses, according to MSNBC's version of exit polling from New Hampshire.
Among those who voted in the Republican primary, 36 percent said they had reservations about their choice — and nearly half of those ended up pulling the lever for McCain. By contrast, just 29 percent of those with reservations about their choice went with Mitt Romney.
Among the 60 percent who said they "strongly" favored their candidate, Romney actually topped McCain, garnering 33 percent of those voters to McCain's 32 percent.
That could be one explanation for McCain's resurgence over the last month. Many Republican voters remain completely conflicted over their choices, and feel they are left with no great option. In a field with so many flawed candidates, McCain appears to more voters to be the best of a bad lot. Is that enough to carry him to the nomination?
— Stephen Dinan, national political reporter, The Washington Times
Comments (10)
Really now, "best of a bad lot." Lemmie guess you vote Republican right? Why don't you just write for Obama and let someone who's impartial write for the Republicans? Or is it because there is no one who is able to write impartially anymore. Maybe that's why I'll just stick to scanning headlines instead of editorials.
Posted by Bill Snyder | January 8, 2008 11:01 PM
I like MacCain,but Giuliani would be my favorite, as he has a great succesful executive experience, and there is no substitute for that.
Etelvino Pena
Posted by Etelvino Pena | January 9, 2008 11:28 AM
"Among the 60 percent who said they "strongly" favored their candidate, Romney actually topped McCain, garnering 33 percent of those voters to McCain's 32 percent."
You need to do a stat course or sit down with some pollsters. In context, 33/32 is not a statistically significant difference, yet it is a key premise of your commentary. This sort of item will eventually cost you your credibility.
Posted by bill | January 9, 2008 11:56 AM
"Good Republicans" should rememder how they felt when John McCain, Ted Keneddy and George Bush tried to rush through the so called Comprehensive Immigration Plan. I, like millions of others called the Senate to relate disapproval with the Immigration plan that it totally failed, grashed and shut down the telephone system. When a Republican joins up with the likes of Ted Kennedy, the Republican is going to get bent over and screwed. Remember how you felt, and vote. If given the opportunity, John McCain and Ted Kennedy will try screw the Republicans.
Posted by G. Holman | January 9, 2008 12:16 PM
Man, I miss Reagan. He may have been the last truly great Republican.
Posted by B Gessert | January 9, 2008 3:23 PM
I can hardly believe the McCain win. I have been a Republican all my life and have decided that If McCain gets the nomination I am leaving the party. I will not vote for him or Clinton. They are the same thing to me. they both mean to destroy the Republican brand. I am feed up with giving them my support and vote only to have them do nothing to promote conservatism and then blame everyone else for their shortcomings, enough is enough.
Posted by Mark P. | January 9, 2008 5:26 PM
This man plays his military career for everything it is worth and curries favor with the liberal media at every opportunity.He strikes me as rather unstable with a certified foul temper.I am adamantly opposed to amnesty for illegal aliens and Amnesty John while now mouthing the rhetoric of secure borders, still supports amnesty.McCain-Kennedy was the worst piece of illegal alien coddling legislation of recent history.I intensely dislike Amnesty John personally and politically.
Posted by Charles | January 9, 2008 10:41 PM
Please define "bad". It's pretty obvious from the statistics what the definition of best is, but bad? In this case it seems to carry a moral meaning more than a statistical.
Posted by Larry Stone | January 10, 2008 4:47 AM
I am stunned that anyone would turn down a proven problem solver like Romney in favor of McCain, who would create huge new problems for us by extending the citizenship entitlement program.
Posted by James | January 10, 2008 7:30 AM
As an independent with Republican leanings (I will NOT be voting for a Democrat this time around), the GOP had better stop looking for the "perfect" conservative candidate...he or she simply does not exist and even if they did, that perfect Republican would not beat Clinton, Obama, or whomever in this election year. Go with whomever is more likely to win the White House and worry about policy details later. Or, be pragmatic and realize that politics is compromise and hard-core positions rarely, if ever, prevail.
Posted by Brian Ludwig | January 10, 2008 11:30 AM