The Pace Quickens

by Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families: With "Super Tuesday" just a few days away, the McCain and Romney campaigns are moving at a frantic pace, trying to garner endorsements, raise money, buy last minute ads and figure out where to send the candidates for last-minute rallies and events.

Governor Romney picked up the endorsement today of respected pro-life former Senator Rick Santorum and of influential conservative talk-show host Laura Ingraham. But McCain clearly has the most momentum. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger endorsed him yesterday, as did Texas Gov. Rick Perry - both in delegate-rich states. Perhaps more significantly, members of Congress with solid conservative credentials are hopping on board, including both of Georgia's senators. McCain already had Jack Kemp and rising conservative star Senator John Thune of South Dakota with him. (Thune defeated Senate Democrat Leader Daschle in 2004.)

I reviewed the polling data in over 20 states that vote on Tuesday and have talked with dozens of key GOP officials in the last day, and it is clear that Senator McCain has opened up significant leads in over a dozen states. Even in the South he now leads in states like Georgia, largely because Huckabee, who can not under any reasonable scenario win the nomination, is staying in the race and draws enough votes from Romney to give Senator McCain the edge. Senator McCain has another big advantage working for him - a number of very large states have "winner-take-all" primaries. If a candidate wins a state by one vote, he receives all that state's delegates. This seems very unwise to me and to the disadvantage of conservatives. It should be changed for future races. But it is a fact now, and it is a great advantage for Senator McCain.

The Conservative Reaction: Needless to say, some conservative commentators and activists are apoplectic. Ann Coulter went as far as to say this week that she would vote for Hillary Clinton if McCain gets the nomination. Really, Ann? Just as I feared, other leaders are saying that they would stay home. This is suicidal, my friends. . . . If on Jan. 20, 2009 Hillary, Barack and Bill take charge of America, there is a 100% certainty that we will be defeated on every front - amnesty for illegals, pro-abortion justices, same-sex marriage, tax hikes, surrender in the war with the jihadists, socialized medicine, etc.

I believe any GOP nominee, including Senator McCain, can beat the liberals, but it will take every conservative vote-plus more. I urge our movement to reject political suicide and work with the final nominee to make him the best conservative possible, knowing that the alternative is the worst left- wing government imaginable.

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Tags: conservatives, Election 2008, Gary Bauer, John Mccain, Mitt Romney