Electability is important. Less important is what Republican Party intelligentsia deems "electable." With primary season heating up, in both the race for president and other offices, we would do well to examine what kind of candidate is or isn't electable. If it were solely up to what we'll generically call the Republican Establishment, electability rankings might go as follows: 1. Incumbents 2. Moderate-to-liberal Republicans with their own campaign money 3. Moderate-to-liberal Republicans without their own campaign money 4. "Anybody? Really, is there anyone else who will run? Please." 5. Conservatives The thinking is that candidates without strong ideological stances will appeal to independent voters -- who tend to be less ideological in their views. The theory reminds me of when my mother observed that boys, in order to impress girls, tend to do things that impress other boys. Similarly, politicos and pundits try to impress independents by doing things that other partisans perceive as independent. But just as running fast, jumping high, and lifting heavy things often fail to impress....
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