COMMENTARY | When it comes to choosing the right candidate for office it is important to consider all the facts, not just how well they wear the Republican mantle. Voting is an important part of our American right and as the Presidential election of 2012 draws near the races are heating up. With candidates already making their rounds it is important that voters are able to filter out all the detritus that is being thrown around and to get to the crux of the matter.
As the date for the Republican primary draws near candidates like Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney are revving up to see who will win the Republican bid. As a voter that intends to take part in the Republican primary there are several things that should be considered when choosing the vote. Electability certainly plays a huge role in the election of candidates to the presidential ticket. Likability, congeniality, and ingenuity also help to shape the presidential candidates that we see before us. A candidate can be the best person for the job but if they are not well liked in the court of public opinion their chances of being elected plummet sharply.
This year the stakes are even higher for the presidential candidates. With President Obama’s approval rating at an all-time low the chances of a change in executive power are more likely than you would think. Though some might say that the only important thing to worry about this election year is getting Obama out of the White House, that however is not the most important thing in my opinion. Though the approval ratings of the president do in fact weigh heavy on the hearts and minds of the American people, approval is not the only thing that makes a good president.
When voting this election year voters should not center solely on their approval or disapproval of a candidate on a personal basis. Rather the focus should be on what has been done for the American people during the presidency. Though it does seem to a certain extent that some of the problems facing the country have gotten worse under President Obama, it may not be the case that it was entirely his fault. Both President Bush and President Obama faced obstacles that other presidents did not have to worry with and that should be taken into consideration when choosing a candidate not simply getting rid of the candidate that you do not personally like.
Source
Gingrich worse against Obama than Romney: Reuters/Ipsos poll, Andy Sullivan, www.news.yahoo.com