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Notes -
He also was the establishment choice and had all the money. He faced a crowded, but largely unappealing (because Republicans that thought they had a real chance were keeping their powder dry for 2016) crowd of candidates: Rick Santorum (PA, a less likeable Pence type), Ron Paul (TX), Newt Gingrich (GA, also with DC taint), Buddy Roemer (LA, nothingburger), Rick Perry (TX, weak debater), Michele Bachman (MI, boring), and John Huntsman (UT, Obama Ambassador). Not exactly murderer's row, particularly after Perry's repeated mental mistakes.
Perry was and still is actually extremely popular with the base, he just kept making gaffes. Santorum lacked his same overwhelming popularity but could bridge religious voters to the rednecks who don’t go to church very often that have come to make up a big chunk of the GOP base. Gingrich similarly was a fairly solid candidate(or would have been in ‘04, at least), he was just past his prime and made bizarre campaign decisions that sunk him. These people are still important players in the GOP and are major factors in setting the base’s opinions.
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