Romney Leading Iowa

The Washington Post featured this and this today on the front page of its website. Romney is leading the race for the Republican nomination right now--at least in Iowa. Winning the first few primaries is quiet important to winning the nomination.

So why is Romney leading? Well, probably because his campaign has been a local one. Romney has chosen specific states to target specifically, while still attempting to appear on the nation-wide level as well. McCain has made a bit of an effort to run a similar campaign, but the other main candidates--Thompson, McCain, and Guiliani--have been running by criss-crossing the nation or trying to get spots of national news shows.

What I don't get: where is Duncan Hunter. Duncan Hunter, endorsed by Ann Coulter as the strongest conservative candidate, has views that fit the Reagan model every Republican is looking for. So why isn't he doing better? Well, he's had a hard time making a lot of noise. Fred Thompson hasn't entered the race and has already entered the "major candidate" bracket.

Personally, I'd like to see Hunter as president. Will it happen? Maybe. Ann Coulter could, if Hunter wanted, spend quiet a bit of time talking about him. Whether or not liberals like it, Coulter is viewed positively by many conservatives. Some, like the guy who writes this blog, idolize Coulter. Liberals say she's too mean. Some conservatives fear that an actively endorsing Coulter would hurt a candidate. Not true! Liberals hate Ann. They simply despise her. Why? Well, she doesn't agree with them--apparently freedom of speech only exists if you are speaking about the injustices faced by whatever minority group you want to associate yourself with.

Coulter appears constantly. Whether it is on tour for her book, speaking at colleges, or just making an appearance on T.V., she reaches a wider audience than any other political commentator in the United States. A Coulter buzz around Hunter could bring him to the national screen--or at least help him win a few states.

Just for the record, I doubt Hunter will win. But I would be lying if I told you I didn't want to see it happen. I love Thompson and think he has the ability to give the strong, Reaganesque conservative image that Republicans want. Hunter would make an excellent vice presidential running mate.