Last night’s Iowa Caucus highlighted the energy and excitement of this year’s GOP race. A record number of Republicans voted in the first in the nation caucus, while Democratic turnout languished. Such an enthusiasm gap certainly bodes well for the eventual Republican nominee heading into the general election later this year. To capture this energy, conservatives need to start coalescing around a few finalists in this epic field of presidential contenders.
It became clear last night that the dynamics of this race, and the Republican Party, have dramatically shifted. The top three finishers in Iowa last evening are outside of the establishment, and rose to prominence by taking-on entrenched candidates and interests. Donald Trump, the least conservative of the top three GOP candidates, is beginning to fade -and not a moment too soon. All of this sets-up a showdown between Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio for the nomination, an excellent final choice for conservatives.
If either Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz becomes the Republican nominee, conservatives stand to capture the White House with a Reaganesque candidate who can put a fresh face on timeless conservative convictions. This could be the year of a conservative comeback; the beginning of freedom’s revival.
I am confident that we conservatives will get our guy this year, in either Cruz or Rubio. I personally have endorsed Senator Rubio, but both of these men will make major changes to business-as-usual in Washington. Here in South Carolina, we must ensure that the winnowing that began in Iowa last night ends in a trusted conservative becoming the Republican nominee.
Won’t it be nice for believers in limited government, family values, and free-markets to vote without holding our noses this year? This, I am confident, is the year for freedom to reign in America again.
