Has anyone spotted the trend in GOP nomination races? No, not the say-crazy-stuff-to-win rule. Not the astronomical number of debates (and counting). Not even the anybody-but-Romney rule.
It’s the Curse of the Front Runner.
It seems spending any period of time as the GOP front runner is a death sentence to your candidacy. The progression went Trump, Gingrich, Bachman, Perry, Cain, now Gingrich once more.
- First Donald Trump slid because he made the critical error of behaving like Donald Trump.
- Next Newt Gingrich criticized GOP darling Paul Ryan, thus committing a cardinal sin… Don’t throw salad when you should be throwing red meat.
- Then people heard Bachman speak.
- Perry or George Bush 2.0, had the hair and the swagger but doesn’t talk real good. And we found out just how uncomfortable it is to watch a grown man try to remember “Department of Energy.”
- Cain had the charisma, the element of surprise, but also an alleged history of sexual harassment that negates everything else.
And now comes Gingrich again. He’s polished, he’s smart, as a former speaker of the House he’s got a history of political success. Following Cain’s snafu, Gingrich roared to the front of the pack.
But will he stay there? There are those who think Gingrich is the real deal. The guy to break the Front Runner Curse.
Enter Freddie Mac.
You must understand: to Republican stalwarts, a relationship with Freddie Mac is the moral equivalent of satanism. Gingrich was a paid helper–and, believe me, he didn’t get paid $1.6 million to lecture the organization on the failures of government intervention in the market
Can Newt wiggle his way out of this? Maybe.
But honestly, his relationship with Freddie Mac is not the only issue that will get the microscope. It only took a few days at the head of the pack before this came out.
And so the curse continues….
Maybe lowly Jon Huntsman or Rick Santorum will get a chance in the spotlight after Gingrich has been spit out.
But the same thing is likely to happen until the lacklustre Mitt Romney is selected the nominee.
Or until Ronald Reagan Rises from the dead.
Who do you think will get the nomination?
