We hear it every election cycle, this election is the most important one in our lifetime.  Then we vote and have to live with the consequences.  This time it is the most important election for one political party in Idaho and the country.  Can you guess which one?   The republican party is at a crossroads after losing the last two presidential elections.  The party nominee has had as much success as the jail bond issue in Canyon County.  John McCain meekly fell to Obama and Mitt Romney, despite a lot of hope, was defeated by the president.  Both GOP nominees ran on wanting to be 'likeable' so the public would find them electable.  How did that work out for the republicans and the country?

When Bill Clinton was running wild and all seemed lost there was a voice from the West that most folks knew would win the 2000 election.  Despite the overconfidence of Karl Rove and due to the brilliance of James Baker in Florida, Governor Bush became President Bush.  Thankfully the world was spared the third term of the Clinton Administration.

"The big question,"

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to quote the great Robert Novak, is who is the next Bush or Reagan in 2016?  Whether it's Cruz, Ryan, Rubio, or someone else the tone and issues will be decided in 2014.  The midterm elections will be a referendum on the GOP.  If you're with the country clubbers you vote for the establishment.  If you're with the people, then you vote for the grassroots candidate.  State by state, each election will strengthen whichever group comes out on top.

We will then hear the progressives in the press opine about an electable candidate that's not polarizing.  Currently Chris Christie is their favorite.  Watch out if he wins the primary.  The media will treat us to every Christie meltdown imaginable.  If the GOP is to win it has to have a candidate that will champion their core issues and not run away from them.  The most important point will be winning the confidence of the American people for the next four years and not just waiting for the next election cycle.

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