The last two Republican presidential primary cycles have been hard to watch. On a popcorn scale, I'd give half a small bag, mostly old maids. It was a bit like watching the dwarves march to the Lonely Mountain without Bilbo, Gandalf, or Thorin Oakenshield.
I voted for Mitt Romney twice (twice!) in the Pennsylvania Republican primaries, despite my strong aversion to any candidate who wants to be president mostly because he wants to be president. He was the least objectionable candidate left by the time Pennsylvania voted, which wasn't saying much.
There's a collection of polls out today that shows that Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and Donald Trump are at the top of the list of most objectionable GOP candidates in early primary states. That is, when a question like "Could you support Jeb Bush in the Republican primary?" is asked, Bush, Christie and Trump get the most "No" responses. Scott Walker and Marco Rubio are the least objectionable.
For Mitt, being least objectionable got him the nomination--it turned out that all the other GOP candidates were just too swamped with baggage, gaffes or goofiness. This cycle is different though. The Republican field is full of candidates that appear attractive. We won't be voting for the least problematic candidate--it's a game of figuring out the best option among good options.
That means that, despite the great position Walker and Rubio are in right now, even the most objectionable candidates can't be counted out. (Well, except for Trump. It would take a yuuuuuuge series of weird events to get him anywhere near the nomination.) Bush and Christie both have assets that could turn the race in their favor.
I'm looking forward to the popcorn.
