Romney Suspends Campaign

Well, it comes as no surprise after Tuesday's results, that Mitt Romney has suspended his campaign.

While none of the candidates have energized the GOP, or me personally, I came to believe that Romney was 'the' conservative candidate. I'm sure there are those who would disagree referring to some of his past actions or the sound bites that were used against him. However, especially when compared to others in the race, he struck me as the candidate most closely aligned to core conservative principles.

I didn't like him at first. Too slick looking, too smooth sounding, not exactly sure what it was that pinged my no-go radar, but it was there. Over time as I read his press releases, heard him time and time again, got to know him, I came to like and respect him.

I struggled for a time with whom to vote for this past Tuesday. Should I vote for the person who the media was saying had the best chance to beat Clinton or Obama, or should I vote on my principles? Who would be better for the country? Who most embodied true conservative principles? I am very comfortable with the choice I made.

I have huge problems with McCain. He has a temper. He can be somewhat snooty. Those are things I can overlook. But I have an extremely hard time with McCain-Feingold. I have an even harder time with his stance on immigration.

Quite truthfully, I don't see how the country could have gone to bat to stand up against the earlier immigration bill that he put forth and supported, then do an about face and vote for him. Makes no sense.

Well, I could dissect and complain and whine for paragraphs, but I am short on time as I'm sure you are short on giving this much more attention if you've gotten this far.

I am almost depressed about Romney's removal from the field. Huckabee, who I liked in person, is not someone I could get behind. I like him on the FairTax but his actions in regards to immigration; his ever-changing stances have made me leery of him. Doesn't matter much at this point anyway, my state has voted.

The handwriting was on the wall Tuesday that Romney would have to get out, the delegate numbers were impossible. Huckabee hasn't got a prayer, although I'm sure there are a lot of folks out there praying for him. Who knows, prayer had overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. However, if he split every state with McCain from this point forward he couldn't hope to make the magic number of delegates needed.

So.

Oh well.

I'll be unhappy about the election for a few days, and then I'll move on and get behind McCain. I will do like many and, as his mother said, hold my nose and vote for her son.

However, one thing I have decided is that I will not hold my nose and vote for the elected officials in this state who endorsed him. If there is a Republican running against any candidate who endorsed McCain, I’m going to be voting for that candidate. If there's no one, then I'm gonna just skip that box when I vote.

I'll be writing more about that later.

The future dimmed a bit when Romney stepped down. He gave an outstanding speech today. I admire someone who puts the country ahead of his own ego and desires. I heard that yesterday his family and campaign advisors got together and decided they would go on. Joint decision. Yet as he wrote his speech for today's C-PAC talk he came to the realization that his continued presence in the race would give the Democrats a better chance of winning. He and McCain agree on one very major issue --- continuing the fight on terrorism. The Dem's want to pull out of Iraq, an action I believe will ultimately bring the fight back onto our soil.

I admire Romney for making the choice he did today.