First Vote Reinforces G.O.P.’s Ideological Divide
News Analysis
By JIM RUTENBERG
NYT
DES MOINES — All year long the story of the Republican race for president was Mitt Romney and a rotating cast playing the role of Someone Else. On Tuesday night, Someone Else was played by two candidates: Rick Santorum, the longtime champion of social conservative issues that were supposedly taking a backseat in this jobs-centric presidential race, and Ron Paul, the noninterventionist Texan who represents an almost 180-degree turn from the Republican Party’s direction.
The down-to-the-wire result between Mr. Romney and Mr. Santorum, with Mr. Paul close behind, ensured that the primary contests would be fought aggressively for additional weeks or months. Iowa is an unpredictable starting gate of presidential politics, and Mr. Romney retains many strengths, including a formidable position in New Hampshire, where he has comfortably led in polls all year.
But more than anything else, the Iowa caucuses cast in electoral stone what has played out in the squishy world of polls and punditry for the last 12 months: The deep ideological divisions among Republicans continue to complicate their ability to focus wholly on defeating President Obama, and to impede Mr. Romney’s efforts to overcome the internal strains and win the consent if not the heart of the party.
Mr. Romney may have the most money, the best organization and, often, the best poll numbers in hypothetical matchups against Mr. Obama. But he has not yet been able to tap into the antigovernment, populist zeal in the party or convince more traditional conservatives that he is an acceptable standard-bearer in an election that much of the right hopes can not only unseat Mr. Obama but permanently shift the nation’s values and direction.
(More here.)
By JIM RUTENBERG
NYT
DES MOINES — All year long the story of the Republican race for president was Mitt Romney and a rotating cast playing the role of Someone Else. On Tuesday night, Someone Else was played by two candidates: Rick Santorum, the longtime champion of social conservative issues that were supposedly taking a backseat in this jobs-centric presidential race, and Ron Paul, the noninterventionist Texan who represents an almost 180-degree turn from the Republican Party’s direction.
The down-to-the-wire result between Mr. Romney and Mr. Santorum, with Mr. Paul close behind, ensured that the primary contests would be fought aggressively for additional weeks or months. Iowa is an unpredictable starting gate of presidential politics, and Mr. Romney retains many strengths, including a formidable position in New Hampshire, where he has comfortably led in polls all year.
But more than anything else, the Iowa caucuses cast in electoral stone what has played out in the squishy world of polls and punditry for the last 12 months: The deep ideological divisions among Republicans continue to complicate their ability to focus wholly on defeating President Obama, and to impede Mr. Romney’s efforts to overcome the internal strains and win the consent if not the heart of the party.
Mr. Romney may have the most money, the best organization and, often, the best poll numbers in hypothetical matchups against Mr. Obama. But he has not yet been able to tap into the antigovernment, populist zeal in the party or convince more traditional conservatives that he is an acceptable standard-bearer in an election that much of the right hopes can not only unseat Mr. Obama but permanently shift the nation’s values and direction.
(More here.)
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