New Jersey Governor Chris Christie scored points, at the last Republican debate, with this comment:
“Listen, I want to talk to the audience at home for a second. If your eyes are glazed over like mine, this is what it’s like to be on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Endless debate about how many angels fit on the head of a pin for people who have never had to make a consequential decision in the executive position.”
It’s a valid point. The Senators (Rubio, Cruz, Paul) quibble about amendments and play gotcha politics about which one has more conservative credentials. The executives on the stage (Kasich, Christie, Trump, Fiorina, Bush, Huckabee) are laying out a vision. Our last open election (one with no incumbent) was a battle between two Senators. The Senator who won (President Obama) did so by mobilizing new voters to buy into a grand vision. President Obama won his re-election, against a former Governor, by defending his position like a Senator would.
In the interest of full disclosure, I support Senator Cruz for President and would be as delighted to see Senator Paul as the nominee. I sincerely believed the nomination contest would come down to a battle between Cruz and Rubio. But Christie made a good point–the Democrats are going to nominate a former Senator. In an open election, maybe the American electorate needs a jolt of bold vision from someone who has actually made executive decisions.
If Republican primary voters really believe that, the anyone-but-Trump candidate will be Chris Christie, Jeb Bush, or John Kasich.