# A question for the Republicans. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 9, 2012, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-the-republicans/640463 "2012-11-09T08:23:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-the-republicans/640463/1 "2012-11-09T08:23:58Z")
This was a close election in some ways and not so close in other ways. So I ask, of all the Republicans that were serious candidates, semi-serious candidates or suspected to be candidates, who among them would have come closer or would have defeated Obama? There was Santorum, Perry, Bachman, Paul, Cain, Gingrich, Huntsman, Trump, Palin and Pawlenty. Tell me who of those even stood a chance better than Romney and he got his ass kicked. Huntsman was the only sane one. Paul has some appeal but he is still on the fringe. The rest can be dismissed when it comes to running against an incumbent President. Tell me. I think it’s time for the Republican Party to do a lot of soul searching as to what they have become. It seems that mostly they are a party of wing-nuts who pretend to be their leaders. The list above is quite embarrassing. They would all look guilty in a police lineup. Keep running up a bunch of suspects like that and the Republican Party will never reclaim the Presidency. Yes, they can win Senate and Congressional seats but the Presidency will be out of reach. In actuality I think they are in worse shape than the Democrats were after the McGovern’s shellacking. The Republican Party has to change and it will. It will be interesting to see how it happens. Hint: First, you have to find your Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-the-republicans/640463/2 "2012-11-09T09:49:33Z")
It makes me laugh that some Republicans are saying they need an even more ideologically pure candidates next time, a real frothing-at-the-mouth tea partier. Looking at the non-presidential races, didn’t the more extreme candidates get pasted? Even Bachmann lost her large majority. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-the-republicans/640463/3 "2012-11-09T10:06:59Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > It makes me laugh that some Republicans are saying they need an even more ideologically pure candidates next time, a real frothing-at-the-mouth tea partier. Looking at the non-presidential races, didn’t the more extreme candidates get pasted? Even Bachmann lost her large majority. Don’t listen to this person, Republicans and certainly don’t be looking at Communist Fellow Travelling Neo-Muslims like Bachmann. On The Hump with Trump 2016. You really can’t lose. USA! USA! ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-the-republicans/640463/4 "2012-11-09T10:14:37Z")
Republicn need to listen more to Rush [The Republicans lost because the electorate are a pack of spineless moochers](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20257611) > [@](#): > > “Conservatism, in my humble opinion, did not lose last night. It’s just very difficult to beat Santa Claus.” > > Read those two sentences carefully, for they tell you a lot about the massive psychological problem the Republicans face - and why it will be extraordinarily difficult and painful for them to deal with reality. > > On his popular radio show, the highly influential Limbaugh explained in detail how the election results prove that the American people have become weak-minded, jelly-spined degenerates. I’m sure once you explain to the electorate how they are a bunch of mooching degenerates they will flock to your banner. Remember - conservatism never fails. It is just failed. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-the-republicans/640463/5 "2012-11-09T10:21:29Z")
You got to read with a Chico Marx accent–“it’sa justa hard to beat the Sanity Clause”–and it makes perfect sense. Conservatism lost because it’s gone batshit-insane. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-the-republicans/640463/6 "2012-11-09T10:31:10Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > You got to read with a Chico Marx accent–“it’sa justa hard to beat the Sanity Clause”–and it makes perfect sense. Conservatism lost because it’s gone batshit-insane. Well yea. But let’s try and keep that from them.