Bill Bolling is possibly betting his career on Mitt Romney.
Follow with me here. Because now that Bolling has re-signed with Team Romney for 2012, he now inherits much of the baggage Romney carries with him among conservatives and tea partiers. While Bolling’s conservative bona fides are strong, especially during his ten years in the state senate, he seems to have started the process of running away from the Bolling of old and reinvented himself into Bob McDonnell 2.0. Maybe that has to happen, but it has allowed room for someone to get to the right of him.
I personally find it honorable that Bolling sticks with the man he supported last time. Seriously. As someone who had a very difficult time deciding who to support (I was flipping and flopping like John Kerry) it’s a credit to Bolling. But it might not be good politics.
Republican presidential races tend to be establishment vs. conservative since Taft vs. Eisenhower. I believe (and I could be wrong) that this nomination will come down to Mitt Romney vs. Rick Perry. It could get nasty, as this usually does. These types of races we’ve seen locally – like Herrity/Fimian – we know how bad it can get. But the stakes are high for Bolling because much of the space he has allowed to open up on his right will be filled with Rick Perry voters who will remember Bolling’s Romney connection. And of course, looming out there is Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who under the right circumstances I believe would jump in and challenge Bolling for the nomination. There could be payback in the air for both sides. In short, what I’m saying is Bolling’s allegiance to Romney could nationalize his own race for governor the following year.
Now this obviously supposes a lot of things. It supposes Perry gets in, it supposes that both Romney and Perry will be the last two and someone else doesn’t catch fire. It supposes Cuccinelli would run for governor.
But this scenario is not out of the realm of possibilities. Now the bet could turn strong if Romney goes the whole way . . . nomination and general election victory. If we get a President Romney, or even a nominee Romney, Bolling is in a stronger position. Cuccinelli always plays it close to the vest, and his timing is as surprising as it is perfect at times. Things have changed since Romney ran in 2008 and Bolling supported him. The health care law and the tea party, these things are powerful movers in Republican circles that were not there in 2008 and both negatively effect Mitt Romney. By taking such a public stand, Bolling risks those issues negatively affecting him as well. And Cuccinelli remains out there, a powerful conservative candidate who has proven to be smarter and harder working that most other Republicans.
Romney will fade as soon as he crawls out of his bunker. He was hiding in the basement during the last budget battle. He was AWOL during the fight. Who needs him. He fatally wounded himself.
Marco Rubio is going to be drafted to run. He will win and appoint the Cooch as US Attorney General.
Posted by: Barry Black | August 05, 2011 at 01:56 AM