We are now down to two viable Republican candidates – McCain and Romney. As a Reagan conservative, neither are my top choices. Throughout the course of the primary season, I have bounced around from Hunter to Thompson to Huckabee to Romney to Guiliani. I’m in a Super Tuesday state, so my day of reckoning is coming up.

The bottom line with these candidates, despite their constant references to Reagan, is that there is no Reagan running in this election. No matter how much we hoped to see a Reagan messiah, he or she is just not there. I could argue that there never will be another Reagan. He was a unique man at a unique time in history. And he became “Reagan” because of what he did in office, not because of his positions on the issues before he became a candidate. It may be another forty years for conservatives to wander in the wilderness until the next promised candidate is found.

Conservatives still have two choices for this election…and I am not referring to McCain and Romney. What I am talking about are two strategic alternatives.

The first is one that I know many conservatives are committed to or certainly considering. That is something having to do with a general election non-vote, a write-in, third-party or Democrat vote just for spite. If that happens in any numbers, we can be guaranteed of a Clinton or an Obama presidency for the next 4-8 years.

“So what!” you say. “I am a conservative who votes on principle! I will only vote for someone who is with me on my key issues”. With all due respect to fellow conservatives, that kind of thinking is for self-indulgent losers. The election is not about you and staying true to your conscience. An election is where the American people get the chance to decide on who will run the country in the coming years. Whether you like it or not, the only viable candidate for the president will be either the Republican or Democratic nominee. While we conservatives are the core of the Republican Party, it is still a “big tent” party when it comes to the issues. We have Republicans that
span the spectrum on many of the big issues of the day; pro-life to pro-choice, hawks to doves, Second amendment rights to gun-control, capital punishment to life in prison, global warming sham to Chicken Little believers, lower taxes to higher taxes, small government to big government, deportation of illegals to amnesty, defense-of-marriage amendment to civil unions, free enterprise to wage/price controls, isolationism to spreading democracy, etc. On any one of these issues you can find true Republicans on either extreme. However, our common bond is that our fellow Republicans are on the “right” side of the majority of issues. As Reagan said, anybody we agree with on 80% of the issues is our friend, not our enemy. Conversely, Democrats are a very “small tent” when it comes to the issues. Just ask Joe Lieberman who was literally kicked out of the party because of a differing view on a single issue!

We need to approach the election with the mindset that we are first Republicans and that any Republican victory over a Democrat is good for the country. And what’s best for the country is to make the right vote, not to satisfy some self-centered principles. My alternative strategy, first of all, deals with both the presidential and congressional elections. The fate of the presidential candidates will significantly impact the Senate and House races and it is critical to look at the potential outcome in a holistic way among all three branches of government. Democrats currently control both branches of Congress and a Democratic president will ensure that they retain control for at least the next couple of years. The worst case scenario is where they add to their existing seats and get a filibuster-proof majority. Just imagine Democrats creating and passing legislation at will and their president getting a repetitive-motion injury from signing all those bills! And think of the issues at stake; same-sex marriage, victory or defeat in Iraq and Afghanistan, illegal immigration, socialized medicine, global warming legislation, the next terrorist attack, Iran and North Korean nukes! On top of that, there is a high likelihood that a Supreme Court appointment could arise soon. With a filibuster-proof Congress, any liberal activist candidate appointed by the President will have clear sailing into the Supremes, defeating any chances of getting Roe v. Wade overturned. Keep this in mind when you start thinking that you want to “make a point” by not voting for the Republican nominee. You may feel at peace with your conscience, but you are contributing to the demise of your country in the process. So what is the best strategy to prevent the scenario described above?

First, we have to make sure that our nominee is the one with the best chance to beat the Democrat. Of the two left, Romney is the closest match with my issues (by far!), but I believe McCain has the best chance of beating the Clintons or Obama. Polling data thus far indicates that and I can see a number of different voting factions supporting McCain; war hawks, senior citizens, military families, pro-lifers, Second amendment people, moderate republicans, conservative Dems, independents, racists/sexists, Hispanics, etc. Also, despite polling data, Islamic jihad will continue to be the #1 issue for years to come. McCain would be a strong Commander-in-Chief. However, the only way McCain can win is with strong support from conservative Republicans. So, here’s the deal…all Republicans, especially the conservatives, need to get to the upcoming primaries and caucuses and ensure that McCain gets the nomination. Hold your nose if you have to, but do it for the sake of the country. The stronger and quicker that we nominate McCain, the better momentum he will have to start off with against the Democratic foe. And, hopefully, the Clintons and Obama will be battling it out to the end so we end up with a vulnerable, battle-scarred opponent.

For the general election, the conservatives need to get out in force and vote for McCain. Again, hold your nose if you need to, but pull that lever! We need a Republican in the White House, even if he is a 60/70/80% conservative, to stop carte blanche legislation from the Democrats and ensure Republican-appointed judges. A side benefit in a McCain victory is that he would no longer be in Congress to sponsor liberal legislation with Feingold, Kennedy, Edwards and Lieberman. Hopefully, he will consider a conservative VP, but we can’t count on that. Also, consider that only about 50-60% of eligible voters participate in the elections. If conservative Republicans can come out en mass to this cause, they would have the numbers to decide this election.

The final part of the strategy is to ensure that we vote for any, and every, candidate on the Republican ballot, conservative or not. Putting control of Congress back into the hands of the Republicans is critical, especially if our presidential candidate doesn’t win. Having Republican control of Congressional committees would be huge. At a minimum, we need to retain the ability to filibuster legislation and judicial nominees. If Republicans are able to regain control of the Senate and/or House, along with a McCain victory, we benefit by having Republicans drive conservative legislation and stop any liberal judicial candidates that McCain may offer up.

Listen, I want a Reagan conservative to be our next President, but it ain’t gonna happen in this election. The Democrats are counting on conservative Republicans to stay home on November 4. Note this typical Dem comment:

Let’s make history and come out in droves to put Republicans in as many positions as we can. The more elected officials with Rs after their names, the better.

Conservatives, unite! We may have to wander in the wilderness for a while longer until our Reagan messiah emerges, but in the meantime, we are Americans and we need to do what’s best for the country.