A full-scale Ronald Reagan conservative
WASHINGTON - Sen. Sam Brownback, who is considering a White House bid in 2008, said Monday the Republican field has room for a "full-scale Ronald Reagan conservative" and pledged to make a final decision next month.
The Kansas senator said he was not discouraged from running by the Democrats' strong gains in this month's midterm elections, including majority control of the House and Senate.
"It does not make it less likely," he said in an interview. "I really believe that the basic conservative ideas and ideals were not repudiated. Our execution was."
A more daunting challenge for Brownback are the better known potential candidates. Arizona Sen. John McCain and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani have set up presidential exploratory committees. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., also are weighing bids.
"I think there's room for a full-scale Ronald Reagan conservative in the field," Brownback said. "I fully agree that other people have much higher name identification than I do. No question about that. But I think what you have to look at is the policy positions they get out once you have an effective campaign."
Brownback, who was elected in 1996, is a forceful foe of abortion and embryonic stem-cell research. He also has taken a prominent role in the fight against genocide in Sudan's Darfur region.
I only wish Sen. Brownback had been a Governor vice a Senator considering how few Senators make it to the White house. Though this Presidential election season looks like on the Democratic side it will be mostly senators. I do know that I can vote for Brownback in the primaries with zero holding -the-nose factor.
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I agree completely about Brownback; he seems quite the fellow.
As to Senators winning, consider this:
1960: Sen. Kennedy vs. VP Nixon
1964: Pres. Johnson vs. Sen. Goldwater
1968: VP Nixon vs. VP Humphrey
1972: Pres. Nixon vs. Sen. McGovern
1976: Gov. Carter vs. Pres. Ford
1980: Gov. Reagan vs. Pres. Carter
1984: Pres. Reagan vs. VP Mondale
1988: VP Bush vs. Gov. Dukakis
1992: Gov. Clinton vs. Pres. Bush
1996: Pres. Clinton vs. Sen. Dole
2000: Gov. Bush vs. VP Gore
2004: Pres. Bush vs. Sen. Kerry
In each case, Senators lost when they opposed a sitting president for re-election. When it's President vs. Senator, President wins. But no senator has been nominated for President to in a year in which there was no incumbent running for reelection since 1960, when the senator won.
In 2008, of course, no incumbent seeking reelection, ergo, anything could happen.
Go, Sam, go!
In each case, Senators lost when they opposed a sitting president for re-election. When it's President vs. Senator, President wins. But no senator has been nominated for President to in a year in which there was no incumbent running for reelection since 1960, when the senator won.
One incident, or even two if you throw in the only other sitting Senator in history to be elected President, Warren Harding, does not necessary indicate anything useful. Presidential elections cannot be reduced to a game of rock, paper, scissors.
There are reasons why Senators tend not to get elected: long voting records, being Washington insiders, lack of executive experience, etc. I see no reason why they should be any less true against a Vice President (like Nixon) than against a President.
As for Brownback, I still doubt he's a good choice with regard to electability. He's a Senator from Kansas, he hasn't got one iota of executive experience, and I wonder whether he'll be able to generate broad support outside of social conservative circles.
My hope is that more candidates will emerge. It is idiotically early to start the 2008 race (I blame Hillary Clinton and her six years of campaigning).
My unelectable, but dream ticket: Brownback and Santorum...
No joke, "Brownback/Santorum '08" sounds like the next bumpersticker I want on my truck.
Finally!!!!! A candidate I would be proud to display a campaign sign in my front yard for!!!!!
I'm about to endorse him on my blog for my hope for president, but I still need to do some more research on Duncan Hunter before I jump on board with Sen. Brownback.
Brownback/Santorum is my dream team! We need candidates diametrically opposed to the nightmare team the Dems will select.
I wonder if you knew that Sen Brownback is a recent convert to Catholicism. I sent him a 'welcome home to Rome' card.
Senator Brownback came to my school recently to speak (I go to Franciscan University of Steubenville). He was AMAZING! SO Catholic. I would love if he were to be president.
http://www.raidersnewsnetwork.com/full.php?news=715
Here's an interesting (albeit a bit snotty) article regarding Brownback's spirituality. What can you expect from the Rolling Stone
DITTO on the dream ticket!