Who do Social Conservatives Want in 2012?
First it was Bachmann, then it was Cain, then Perry, then Cain again, and now Newt Gingrich has surged in the GOP primary field. Mitt Romney is the only candidate who has had poll-stability. In the beginning of the cycle, Romney was the nominal “front-runner” and his biggest slip has been from first to second place following the Newt-surge.
We know that social conservatives, who make up a large plurality of the GOP, have fueled each of these candidates’ surges to the top. But, why haven’t social conservatives found their candidate?
While there may not be one simple answer to this perplexing question, it is clear that social conservatives like aspects of each of the major candidates, but they have reservations about each as well....