Senate President pro tem Eric Johnson of Savannah, the ranking Republican in that chamber and one of the leaders of the draft-Fred movement last year, is switching to presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Johnson said he’s got no special knowledge of whether Thompson, who finished third in South Carolina on Saturday, will be pulling out of the Republican contest.
“I don’t know if he’s pulling out today or tomorrow or not at all,” Johnson told us from Savannah. “But clearly Fred Thompson is not going to be the nominee.”
Expect more defections. “All of the campaigns are reaching out to the Thompson people,” the senator said. Link
This is going to be interesting. I can tell you that at www.mymanmitt.com we already have several people emailing us telling us they are switching to Mitt. I penned this post this morning.
In addition Patrick Ruffini posted these polls, and I think the results are enlightening.
January 21st, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Uhhh….Ohhhh…..
Conservatives can now start to Officially Migrate…….
January 21st, 2008 at 1:27 pm
I welcome all Fredheads over to Mitt! I really like Fred, and think he has some great ideas! I hope he gets behind Romney!
I welcome his supporters as well!
January 21st, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Ditto what Jared said.
Fred had drifted up to my #2 choice of preferred candidates.
January 21st, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Still not sure what to think of this…
January 21st, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Mitt/Fred 08!!!
Sec Defense McCain
Attny Gen Giuliani
Press Sec Huckabee
Sec State Norris
January 21st, 2008 at 1:44 pm
#5 LOL I KNEW IT!!! Chuck Norris has jumped into politics just so he can ultimately get a cushy gov’t job!!!
January 21st, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Great find: Scarborough liberal media loves McCain.
January 21st, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I’ve attended Thompson rallies, I’ve contributed to his campaign, and I’ve persuaded people to become Fredheads. But the writing is on the wall and unfortunately the Thompson campaign is finished. I urge Thompson supporters to rally behind Mitt Romney. John McCain in my opinion is not trustworthy, is not a conservative, and is willing to sell out the Republican Party for personal gain. There is only one viable candidate left in the field that can carry the conservative banner, Mitt Romney. Although I have some reservations about Mitt I cannot support McCain, Huckabee or Giuliani in the general election. Furthermore I believe the Romney is the only republican that can win the general election. Fredheads need to become Mittheads if we want to retain the White House.
January 21st, 2008 at 2:02 pm
#8 It kinda reminds me of the NBA finals. Once your team is out, you don’t really give a crap. At least that’s how it feels. I realize electing a president of the US is a little different, but I think some of us are feeling a little outside of the process for now.
January 21st, 2008 at 2:08 pm
flip flops for romney. sounds about right.
January 21st, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Where is Tommy? I am really surprised that Thompson has done so poorly in the primaries – I think that it might be the campaign strategy that was used. He got off to a bad start but ended really good – he is also my #2 after searching out all of the candidates thoroughly. Unfortunately, he is not viable.
January 21st, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Yep… Here is Romney again showing how awkward he is under pressure.
January 21st, 2008 at 2:30 pm
[...] Race42008 reports that the defections have begun. [...]
January 21st, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Thompson’s my no. 1. Or was. Back to romney again.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:04 pm
What about the RAS Florida poll, Romney 5 points in the lead.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Here is the link:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/florida/election_2008_florida_republican_primary
January 21st, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Fans of the consistent conservative, meet the competent conservative.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:23 pm
FredsFighter,
Fred was my number 2 choice, so I can’t say I know what you’re going through right now, but hopefully after some time, you’ll be ready to come back. The worst political loss I ever experienced was when Bush lost to Clinton in ‘92. Bush wasn’t even my favorite politician and being only 14 years old certainly played a factor. To me, an utter sleazebag, hater of the military, along with espousing some of the most immoral positions had beaten a very good and decent man. And someone who served valiantly in World War II at that. I was just a kid and was so hopeful while my parents knew what was coming and went outside to enjoy a campfire; I literally cried my eyes out when Clinton was declared the winner.
January 21st, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Kickass. The switch begins…
Fred is polling half-decent in Florida, and if half of those voters switch, you’ll have real Mittmentum on!
January 21st, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Mitt/Fred 08!!! that would be absolutely sweet, since they are my
two favorite candidates…not to mention that Jeri Thompson
would make a very very pretty VP’s wife.
January 21st, 2008 at 4:31 pm
In Fred’s words, he had to do very well in South Carolina and a distant 3rd didn’t cut it. He was 2nd in Wyoming and edged out McCain for 3rd in Iowa. These were the highlights, and now it’s time for a graceful exit. If he endorses McCain, that will be the lowlight, but most of his supporters won’t follow him into the dark.
January 21st, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Fred was awsome. I love his answer to the supposed recession. what are you giong to do to save us from a recession fred!! nothing.
that is what we need in a president, someone to stop pandering and understand that government’s role is to let the people figure it out, not meddle in everything. romney pick fred as your running mate today and then clean the floor with everybody in florida!!
January 21st, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I’m hearing from more than one pundit that Fred wants to be VP with McCain. Keeping it all in the Senate. Anyone else care to commment on that?
January 21st, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Fred would make a great VP. He has always been my number 2. We welcome Fred Heads and your disappointment has got to be tough. The rest of us Conservatives need to hang tough and hang together and get through the redefining of our party by Huckabee and McCain and Rudy.
January 21st, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Best scenario: brokered convention. Fred is the only candidate acceptable to everyone. The more delegates he can win in the next two weeks (i.e. through February 5), the stronger his position. So stay with Fred until then.
Second best scenario: Huckabee fades into a non-factor, McCain leads, Giuliani close behind, Romney in a strong third but realizes that he cannot win so he teams up with Fred and the Thompson-Romney team beat McCain and Giuliani.
January 21st, 2008 at 6:41 pm
#25 Wow, that is some abstract strategy.
January 21st, 2008 at 7:05 pm
I refuse to vote for anyone but Fred Thompson; I will write in his name.
January 21st, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Totally agree— Romney/Thompson ‘08
They are the only true conservative Republicans of the bunch. With Romney’s drive/presidential bearing and Thompson’s 1-2 punch in the debates—they’d be a real force to reckon with….
I’d vote for Hillary before I’d cast a vote for McCain…. He’d just dilute and completely ruin the Republican party… I’m just not willing to let him do that.
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:39 am
Thompson is wonderful at one-liners and “gut” instincts. I think Romney would really struggle trusting advice from his VP’s gut, being someone that is so data driven. However, he has succeeded by surrounding himself with dissenting voices and different points of view so it could work. Whether their work ethics are too different is another story. At the end of the day, Fred can bring the candidate he supports lots of votes. I can see McCain and Thompson as natural allies on a personal level. They are both divorcee Type-A manly men that have played in the senate and been part of the old boys network in Washington with all its attachments. Romney, despite his extremely conservative family values has succeeded in that world, and its equivalent in the business world, but never bought into, nor embraced the extra-curricular vulgarities and social norms of their old boys network. Hence he is the quintessential outsider, which is why they hate him and fear him: he has succeeded but he plays by a different set of rules. Whether Thompson wants to be part of that dynamic remains to be seen.