Students chime in on GOP candidates
After five months of campaigning and 11 debates, many USU students are still trying to make a decision of who to vote for among the Republicans vying for the opportunity to challenge Barack Obama for the presidency in the 2012 elections.
At this point the race has been characterized by a swiftly revolving list of front runners. There has been a consistent group of eight candidates, however, who have been featured most prominently by media and have been invited to participate in debates: Rep. Michele Bachmann, former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former ambassador to China and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Rep. Ron Paul from Texas, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum from Pennsylvania.
“The GOP seems to have so many candidates,” said Trent Hunsaker, a USU student working toward his master’s degree in technical writing. “I think it’s hard for anybody to truly care and support just one at this point. No one’s really standing out.”
Hunsaker’s views are shared by some USU students who still seem to be forming opinions about Republican candidates as the first set of primary elections get closer.
MICHELE BACHMANN
• Resume: Tax attorney (1988-93), Minnesota state senator (2001-07), U.S. representative Minnesota 6th District (2007-present)
• Real Clear Politics average (an average of several national polls): 4.8 percent
“I’m all for a woman president, but I feel like she’s just not competent enough,” said Courtney Hahne, a junior majoring in communications. “Truth be told, the only exposure I’ve had to her is in the debates, but nothing she says seems new or original. I don’t think she’s very well rounded.”
“She’s an intelligent woman with leadership potential, yet when she tries too hard to appeal to Tea Party voters, I think she comes off a little crazy,” said Issac Benion, a senior majoring in economics. “I think she’d have a problem appealing to enough American voters to get into the White House.”
HERMAN CAIN
• Resume: Oversaw Burger King stores in Philadelphia as the director of business analysis, Pillsbury Corporation (1978-86), CEO of Godfather’s Pizza (1987), Chairman of the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (1994-96), CEO of the National Restaurant Association (1996-99), Host of “The Herman Cain Show” on talk radio in Atlanta (until 2011)
• Real Clear Politics average: 15.5 percent
“I think he has a simple way to reform the tax code and raise revenue,” Benion said. “But personally I’m not interested in hearing about all the sexual harassment allegations that will come up next year instead of the issues, so I think that hurts him as a viable candidate.”
“He’s got some interesting views,” said Adam Hess, a junior majoring in finance. “And I like how he seems more proactive and motivated than some of the other candidates. I don’t agree with everything he says, but I appreciate his business credentials.”
NEWT GINGRICH
• Resume: History professor at West Georgia College (1970-78), U.S. Rep. for Georgia 6th District (1979-99), Speaker of the House (1995-99)
• Real Clear Politics average: 23.8 percent
“I’d really have a hard time supporting someone for president who so openly cheated on their wife,” said Spencer Starley, a junior biology major.
“I think he’s been in politics so long that I don’t think he’s dynamic,” Benion said. “His personal life is also minefield of scandals.”
RICK PERRY
• Resume: Texas state Rep. (1985-91), Texas Agriculture Commissioner (1991-99), Lt. Gov. of Texas (1999-2000), Gov. of Texas (2000-present)
• Real Clear Politics average: 8.0 percent
“I don’t feel like he’d do the country a service if he was elected,” Johansen said. “I think his lousy debate performance shows a lack of confidence in what he’s saying. When you’re president, you have to be able to be decisive in your actions.”
“He had good intentions and potential, but his inability to debate has really hurt his chances,” Tarbet said. “Not that it means he would be a bad president, but the voting public really expects a better public-speaking ability.”
RON PAUL
• Resume: Physician, opened private medical practice (1968), U.S. Rep. for Texas 14th District (1977-85, 96-present)
• Real Clear Politics average: 8.0 percent
“He has genuine credible ideas, ideas that could really change the direction the country would go in, but his appeal just doesn’t seem to be as fresh and probably won’t be attractive to a majority of people,” said Brooke Tarbet, a senior majoring in accounting.
“I think he has the most conviction and is right about a lot of things, but in some ways that consistency is a weakness,” said Landon Pope, a senior majoring in history and economics.
“He doesn’t really seem to have changed his opinions for the last 30 years, and I’m not so sure that’s a trait you want of someone in office. He’s almost marginalized himself with an inability to compromise.”
JON HUNTSMAN
• Resume: U.S. ambassador to Singapore (1992-93), Executive for the Huntsman Corporation (1993-2001), Deputy U.S. Trade Rep. (2001-03), Gov. of Utah (2005-09), U.S. ambassador to China (2009-11)
• Real Clear Politics average: 2.3 percent
“He’s got good experience overseas, and he was a good governor, but I feel like he doesn’t really have the business mindset right now that we need,” said Josh Johansen, a senior majoring in exercise science.
“By far the most capable candidate in the field, he seems to be most willing to compromise — a middle-of-the-road candidate — he seems easy going,” Hunsaker said. “I like him because he’s the only candidate with any significant foreign policy experience.”
MITT ROMNEY
• Resume: Co-founder of Bain Capital (1984),
CEO (1991), President and CEO of 2002 Winter Olympics Salt Lake City Games Organizing Committee, Gov. of Massachusetts (2003-07)
• Real Clear Politics average: 21.3 percent
“He knows what he’s talking about and seems to be really educated and focused on issues,” Hahne said. “I like his plans, and I like what he’s got to say. And I think he’s handled pressure from the other candidates well.”
“In an economic downturn, I think he’s got the right policies and is the right president to help us get where the economy is healthy again,” Hess said. “His business experience with the Salt Lake Olympics shows that. I like how honest he is about his health care plan, saying that its something that worked in Massachusetts but not necessarily would work for the whole country.”
RICK SANTORUM
• Resume: U.S. Rep. for Pennsylvania 18th District (1991-95), U.S. Sen. for Pennsylvania (1995-2007)
• Real Clear Politics average: 2.3 percent
“I think he would have been a convincing candidate in the 1950s,” Pope said. “I don’t think he’s adapted at all to how the public really thinks, and that’s why you see his poll numbers so low.”
“Rick who?” Hunsaker asked.
Romney, who sought the nomination of the Republican Party in 2008, has consistently polled near the top of the pack, garnering at least 20 percent in most national and early primary state polls.
However, challengers to Romney who have joined him at the top of the polls never seem to last. Bachmann, Perry, Cain and most recently Gingrich have had upswings in the polls matching or surpassing Romney’s support.
“I’m skeptical of a lot of the new polls I’ve seen that declare a new front runner,” Benion said, “because their sources seem to be a little questionable. Whereas independent news source polls always seem to show Romney having the best chance.”
– timothyjbarber@gmail.com