The Republican presidential primary season is upon us and, while I may no longer vote with my Republican brethren, I continue to be interested in their candidates and politics. Some might think that, given my druthers, I would want a polarizing candidate--such as Gingrich, Paul, or Bachmann--to run against Obama in the general presidential election--after all, a highly controversial candidate would practically assure reelection for our current Democratic president. That, however, is not the case: I want the most competent and qualified candidate to win the Republican nomination because there is a very real possibility that he/she could become the next president. Which leads me to my next point...
I have spent some time considering the field of Republican candidates and, based on my research, I truly believe that Jon Huntsman is the "best" candidate in the Republican field. He is articulate, intelligent, affable, attractive, and relatively controversy-free; but what makes him an especially good candidate is his appeal to independent voters. His beliefs, especially on social issues, tend to be more moderate and, therefore, are more likely to attract independent voters who are key to winning a presidential election.
In addition, compared to the other Republican candidates, it appears that Huntsman has the least dirty laundry to be aired. To top it off, the fact that Obama chose Huntsman to serve as ambassador to China would make it very difficult for him or his campaign staff to personally attack Huntsman, even if he has a few skeletons lying around in his closet. Disparaging Huntsman would suggest that Obama is not capable of properly vetting and selecting qualified support staff--obviously something the Obama camp does not want to convey to the voting public.
While many socially conservative voters may find it difficult to cast a vote for Huntsman, it seems clear to me that he will give the Grand Old Party the greatest chance of reclaiming the White House in November.
