It looks like my Christmas Day prediction might pan out after all! Do I win anything? ;)

http://oceanstaterepublican.com/2007/12/25/
my-optimistic-presidential-primary-prediction-6-republicans/

P.S. Anyone happen to notice how much Mike Huckabee went up by? Looks like he's only behind Hillary now in total signatures, and actually ahead of Barack at present. That's a lot better than it was looking 3 days ago!

Wouldn't be surprised if Democrats signed for Hackabee en mass - they'd just love for him to named the Republican nominee at the convention. The election would then be a mere formality - the Democrats would be virtually guaranteed a win in November.

Tom,

Although I usually agree with you, I'm going to politely disagree. The conventional wisdom might suggest that Huckabee is easy pickings, and therefore it'd be a good thing for Democrats to initially support him. Republicans have also been thinking the same thing about giving Hillary the nomination, being the female equivalent of the Antichrist and all. It's a big gamble either way.

I've never been a huge fan of conventional wisdom. It's about as conventional, as it is temporary. It has a tendency to change at a moments notice.

PS For the record, I am truly undecided, although I have culled my choices down to Romney, Huckabee, and Thompson. I am not looking for perfection; I am looking for a winner, with beliefs close enough to my own. Choosing not to choose is still a choice. Therefore, I'm going to choose from the options I have. Given the alternatives on the other side, this is not one that I can with good conscience wash my hands of.

Will,

I want to win, but not at the cost of repudiating Reagan / Republican principles. Hence my prior expressed opposition to Giuliani.

The more I've looked at Huckabee, the less I like him. First, he's a strong pro-amnesty guy - which IMHO is a deal-killer right there (ditto re: McCain).

He's a big time tax and spender. I also don't liked his veiled but clearly intentional playing of the religious card against Romney; it's disgusting.

And I DON'T think he can win - his positions are such that many Republicans will sit-out the election, and Democrat-supporting 527's will have a field day with him. As I've posted before, Huckabee strikes me as another feckless Jimmy Carter, albeit with an R(ino) after his name.

As for Romney, I MIGHT be persuaded to vote for him in the general election - he's mostly RINO - but at least, unlike Hickabee, won't embarrass the Republican Party. In any case, I won't lift a finger to help get him elected, either pre- or post-convention.

Kind of like Steve Laffey last year. I was all set to strongly support him ... until he pandered to the illegals. So while I still voted for him in the primary, I didn't donate money or volunteer for his campaign.

Thompson not perfect, but is the one guy who is reasonably close to real Republican positions - AND HAS BEEN consistently, long before feeling compelled to do so because of running in a Republican primary. Hopefully he'll pull it out and get the nomination.

And if he doesn't, for me, this cycle's Presidential race will be over. I'll vote on election day, but during the lead-up will be on the sidelines.