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TAMPA TRIBUNE
GOP candidate Mitt Romney, right, debates a point with Rick Perry during the Fox News-Google Republican Presidential Primary Debate Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011 in Orlando. CHRIS URSO/STAFF
ORLANDO -- As Florida Republicans assembled for a close look at their presidential candidates Thursday, Social Security, jobs and the performance of President Barack Obama dominated in speeches and a candidates' debate.
But beneath those arguments was a question dominating the primary: Should Republicans should pick a nominee who seems most likely to beat President Barack Obama, or one in tune with the party's increasingly conservative base?
In a battle seen as a two-man contest between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, Romney's backers say he's the one who can beat Obama, while Perry says he's the genuine conservative.
"Romney is electable" was the headline of a news release from the Romney campaign Wednesday, taken from an opinion piece by former candidate Tim Pawlenty, now backing Romney.
"We should not underestimate the challenge Republicans face in the coming general election," Pawlenty wrote. "We should not give Obama a major additional advantage by nominating a vulnerable candidate," Pawlenty wrote.
In answer to a question in the Fox News/Google debate Thursday night, Romney denied having called Perry "unelectable," but he has said in interviews that Perry's stand on Social Security will give Democrats powerful ammunition against him.
But beneath those arguments was a question dominating the primary: Should Republicans should pick a nominee who seems most likely to beat President Barack Obama, or one in tune with the party's increasingly conservative base?
In a battle seen as a two-man contest between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, Romney's backers say he's the one who can beat Obama, while Perry says he's the genuine conservative.
"Romney is electable" was the headline of a news release from the Romney campaign Wednesday, taken from an opinion piece by former candidate Tim Pawlenty, now backing Romney.
"We should not underestimate the challenge Republicans face in the coming general election," Pawlenty wrote. "We should not give Obama a major additional advantage by nominating a vulnerable candidate," Pawlenty wrote.
In answer to a question in the Fox News/Google debate Thursday night, Romney denied having called Perry "unelectable," but he has said in interviews that Perry's stand on Social Security will give Democrats powerful ammunition against him.
Perry, meanwhile, continued and intensified the attacks he has launched since the candidates' debate in Tampa two weeks ago, comparing Romney to a Democrat and questioning his credentials as a Republican.
"We don't need to nominate Obama-lite," Perry said in a Fox News interview on the eve of the debate.
During the debate, he repeatedly accused Romney of backing Obama administration policies, including the individual health care mandate included in Obama's Affordable Care Act, and the education Race to the Top.
"There's one person on this stage who is for Obama's Race for the Top – and that's Mr. Romney… and that is not conservative," he said.
Romney responded, "Nice try," drawing a laugh.
He said Romney's own economic adviser had equated "Obamacare" with "Romneycare," Romney's Massachusetts health insurance program included an individual insurance mandate like Obama's Affordable Care Act did.
"I think Americans just don't know some times which Mitt Romney they're dealing with," Perry said, citing several of what he called Romney flip-flops.
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