…in 15 tweets.
Step back from the horse race, step back from the scorecards of last night’s debate, step back from the peculiarities of Iowa and New Hampshire. Envision what the Republican general election campaign in November 2016 will have to offer to an electorate where young voters, women (possibly in historical numbers) and racial and ethnic minorities will still favor the Democratic ticket, barring a catastrophic turn in voting patterns or economic conditions.
Who, given the current 15-candidate field, will Republicans want running that campaign?
1 From the beginning, I’ve always thought Marco Rubio was the likeliest candidate to win the GOP nomination #GOPDebate
— Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
2 Rubio threads the needle between ‘establishment’ business interests and ‘activist’ tea party and evangelical interests better than anyone — Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
3 Jeb Bush was a fine governor, but last campaign was 2002, and Americans don’t want the same family in 3 presidential administrations
— Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
4 Also — very rarely have US politics moved from one generation to the next (Bush to Obama) and gone back (Obama to Hillary). — Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
5 Rubio knows this, and he knows that he can personify the ‘candidate of the future’ role in a 2016 general election against Hillary
— Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
6 What’s more, Rubio can, between nomination and Labor Day 2016, soften edge on neocon, tax policy and harder-edged views on immigration — Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
7 Rubio personifies the quintessential story of American immigrant family, and Cuba, in particular, plays special role in US culture
— Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
8 If he’s smart, Rubio (as nominee) can cast himself as an American David Cameron — modernizer who can drag Republican Party into 21st c. — Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
9 In particular, Republicans will make peace w/ LGBT equality, immigration reform and national health care based on Romney’s MA blueprint
— Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
10 Rubio could still offer smaller government, tax reform, conservative reform on health care, more harmonious relations w/ GOP Congress — Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
11 That in 20 years, Republicans can go from Bob Dole to Marco Rubio is an energizing narrative about American dynamism
— Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
12 Stories about student and credit card debt, power boats, only make Rubio more relatable to middle class, unlike Bush, McCain, Romney — Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
13 Wouldn’t be surprising to see Rubio buy into US opening to Cuba and make 1st visit to the island as POTUS (post-Castro in 2017)
— Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
14 As ethnic minority, Rubio should embrace spirit of Jack Kemp — once in a generation opportunity to win racial and ethnic voters — Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015
15 Mitch Daniels as VP, Zoellick @ State, Romney @ Treasury, Cabinet w/ Lingle, Kasich, Martinez, Fiorina, Walker, Kashkari the best of GOP
— Kevin Lees (@Suffragio) November 11, 2015