If John McCain picks Mitt Romney as his VP would that satisfy the majority of social conservatives? My analysis below but first read from Reuters:
Republican presidential candidate John McCain once likened tangling with Mitt Romney to "a wrestling match with a pig," saying "you both get dirty, and the pig likes it."
That was back in January when the two were slugging it out in a fierce presidential nomination race, a contest where there appeared to be deep personal hostility between the two Republicans.
Fast-forward six months and Romney's stock is rising as a top choice to be McCain's vice presidential running mate, raising questions of whether the two can overcome personal enmity and join hands to win November's U.S. presidential election.
Political experts say the weakening U.S. economy, the No. 1 issue for voters, could sway McCain to pick Romney, whose experience as a successful former venture capitalist could compensate for McCain's weaknesses in economic matters.
They add that Romney, a multimillionaire former Massachusetts governor, would bring considerable strengths to the Arizona senator's bid for the White House -- from a proven ability to raise big money and connect with conservative Republicans to his telegenic good looks and executive style.
The polished communicator with combed-back salt-and-pepper hair also would add a dose of youthfulness.
The whole article is here.
If you bring Romney on, it will help McCain with the conservative talk radio hosts who love to take shots at the Senator. So from a PR perspective that’s a good thing.
As for Evangelicals, I think it’s a mixed bag. From my reporting in the Republican primary, you have divided opinions on Romney. You have the crowd that believes he’s a flip flopper and a moderate at best. You also have those who have a problem with his Mormonism, though selecting him as VP blunts that to a certain extent. On the flip side, you have some Evangelicals that like him on the social issues.
Let’s face it. If he picks Romney, it would be primarily because Romney can give McCain cover on the economy. However, Romney has been a friend to pro-family groups over the last few years so he has some good will there. A Romney pick would be a solid choice that probably threads the needle of appealing to Independents and Evangelicals but the pick wouldn’t necessarily drive the Evangelical base crazy with excitement.