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No clear choice has emerged in GOP primary

Crew members set the stage at the North Charleston Coliseum, Wednesday in North Charleston, S.C., in advance of Thursday’s Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate. The Republican National Committee has started preparing for a contested national convention, which would follow the primary season should no GOP candidate for president win enough delegates to secure the party’s nomination.
Crew members set the stage at the North Charleston Coliseum, Wednesday in North Charleston, S.C., in advance of Thursday’s Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate. The Republican National Committee has started preparing for a contested national convention, which would follow the primary season should no GOP candidate for president win enough delegates to secure the party’s nomination. Rainier Ehrhardt Associated Press

Having been involved with politics my whole life, and having run for public office many times, I've been getting lots of questions lately about who I like to be our next President.

Looking back over the last few months, the honest answer is, “Lots of people.” For a long time my choice was Mitt Romney and then Paul Ryan, two very qualified men, but they're not running, at least not yet.

I was glad that Jeb Bush got into the race, but maybe Donald Trump is right. Something seems to be missing. Being a libertarian Republican, I have been rooting for Dr. and Senator Rand Paul, but he is fading.

Realistically, I think you should support someone who has a decent chance to win. This truly is a race, and you have to move smartly out of the gate. I am on and off with Donald Trump. Could he be good or a disaster? The answer is yes.

I am very suspicious of Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. Too slick and too egotistical. Both seem to be political loners and attention grabbers like someone else. Oh yes, his name is Barack Obama.

I like the proven track record and humility of John Kasich, but his heart is not in it. He seems to be running for VP.

Carly Fiorina and Chris Christie are very bright, but have had problems doing their recent jobs. And I'm sorry, but I saw Christie at a small event here. He goes negative, and then he's a blowhard.

Then there's this older black guy. Are you kidding me? He's a retired surgeon with no political experience to speak of, but then he speaks. He doesn't sound or act like a politician. He makes sense when he speaks, even though some of it is controversial, even off the wall. That's OK. I like him.

Oh, one other thing. In order to be President, you have to be electable. That means carrying key electoral states like Ohio, Florida and Virginia. I wonder how Dr. Ben Carson would fare in those states. We choose here on February 20. Lucky us.

Dick Withington, Myrtle Beach

This story was originally published January 14, 2016 at 9:27 AM with the headline "No clear choice has emerged in GOP primary."

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