It’s not just religion that makes Mitt Romney unviable as a Republican nominee for President, Herman Cain warns. Romney also “has an ankle bracelet named RomneyCare,” Cain tells the Washington Times, which makes him a questionable opponent for a fight over ObamaCare in a general election. But Cain says the South won’t go for a Mormon, and that means Romney can’t win the nomination or the general election:
“I know the South, and you have to win the South. Mitt Romney did not win it when he ran against John McCain” in the 2008 primaries, said Mr. Cain. “The reason he will have a difficult time winning the South this time is because when he ran the first time, he did not do a good job of communicating his religion. It doesn’t bother me, but I know it is an issue with a lot of Southerners.”
Mr. Cain, a retired corporate executive who made a career out of rescuing dying companies, including the faltering Godfather’s pizza chain, argued that a Republican candidate needs to win Southern states.
“If you don’t win South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, you can’t win the nomination. And then you can’t win the presidency,” he said.
Cain makes it clear that this isn’t a personal dislike, but Cain’s political calculation. However, the Times notes a recent poll by American Research Group indicating that Romney is running well ahead of the GOP pack in South Carolina, a bellwether state for Republicans in the South. In a crowded field, Romney gets 25% of the Republican primary voters, with Sarah Palin coming in at 16%, Michele Bachmann at 13%, and Cain the first Southerner in the field at 10%.
Is it an issue with a lot of Southerners? Well, that’s one reason to have a primary, of course, and at the moment Romney seems to be holding his own. If the field narrowed down considerably, a non-Romney option might overwhelm Romney, but South Carolina is near the beginning of the primary and most candidates will try to hold on through at least that date. Romney at least seems to be doing better than Cain himself in that state, as well as another Southerner, Texas Governor Rick Perry (6%), although he hasn’t yet become a candidate.
Should this even be a subject for debate among candidates? Given Cain’s recent controversial remarks over Muslims, he’s pushing perilously close to Know-Nothing territory in his presidential bid, a trend that will not help broaden his appeal. Cain seems to be making the mistake of doing political analysis while campaigning, a risky approach for any candidate, particularly one as new to the process as Cain. Romney’s religion will undoubtedly be part of the debate, but his opponents should be wise enough not to get ensnared in the topic. Better to laud Romney’s dedication to his family and community and focus on the actual issues.
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