In the remaining GOP debates after Nov 8th, 2011, here are some thoughts are what I am looking for from each of the major candidates. I am keeping an eye on the debates, and not specifically supporting anyone just yet.
Herman Cain
First of all, I am assuming Herman Cain will continue to deny the recent allegations assuming that is asked of him. I am still interested to see just how totally he denies them and if he states if he remembers any of the accusers or if he feels they were just pulled out of a closet somewhere or what. Other then that issue, I assume he will attempt to bring back some of the things that have allowed him to rise in the polls such as the 9-9-9 flat tax plan.
Mitt Romney
Mitt seems to be starting to try and use Herman Cain’s problems to regain his lead role in the GOP Race. Mitt seems to feel he is (and he very well might be) the most all around suited candidate for the GOP, but he has people coming from all sides – Cain was more “cool”, Rick Perry is a current governor and created jobs, Bachmann has the Tea Party, etc. I feel it is likely Romney will try to portray himself as the safest pick who has already been vetted (he has been Governor already), yet is better then Rick Perry in other ways.
Rick Perry
Rick Perry has spent much or ever most of his time going after Mitt Romney. I am curious however to see if he will now go after Cain more since Cain has been rising in the polls more and more, yet he is now suddenly vulnerable. In other words, if someone supported Cain before the allegations but now isn’t so sure, where will that voter go? Rick Perry has already fought against Romney and not looked real good in those instances, so maybe he will change and turn his attention to picking up Cain voters.
Ron Paul
Ron Paul has always been down in the polls, but he still always seems to have solid support with some GOP voters. I think he will try to basically not really pound on the Cain allegations, but continue to state his Libertarian views and try to make the point that voters should vote for a different type of leader – not a business leader like Cain, or a fairly standard Politician like Perry, but someone who will free up Americans to do as they see fit. I think Paul will not target any of the other candidates, but will just ask people to consider his views.
Michele Bachmann
In many ways, Tea Party favorite Michele Bachmann is similar to Ron Paul, but she also has some different views. I think instead of focusing on any GOP candidate, she may use the next debates to continue to bash Barrack Obama as she has done in the past. She is trying to portray herself as the only GOP candidate who is currently fighting Obama at the Federal level.
Newt Gingrich
I suspect that Newt will continue what he has been doing – basically playing the role of good Republican, trying not to pound too hard on any of the other candidates – and asking the public to go to his website or other pages to learn his views. Like Michele Bachmann, I expect him to continue to pound away against Obama and other liberals, but unlike Michele, he isn’t currently in office, so he can’t claim to be voting against them or anything like that.
As of this writing, we are still real early in the election cycle and it will be fun to look back when the GOP actually picks a nominee to find out who it was and what people felt about that candidate at this time.