Conservatism is alive & well - it’s Bush who’s on the ropes

Democrats and much of the media have attempted to make the argument that the election results were a repudiation of conservatism and even of Ronald Reagan's legacy for America.

Recently I was on television with a Democratic consultant who jubilantly proclaimed that the elections symbolized a rejection of conservatism dating back to 1964. Nothing could be further from the truth. The election results were a repudiation not of conservatism but of President Bush, whom conservatives believe has betrayed the Reagan legacy.

President Bush was elected by conservatives who believed that he would finalize unfinished business of the Reagan Revolution.

Throughout his first term and into the 2004 election, this unwavering support among conservatives allowed him to thwart his political adversaries.

Then came the Harriet Miers nomination for the Supreme Court in 2005.

Polling in key states showed that the President's erosion of support among conservatives began with the Miers nomination. Seemingly overnight, a majority of Republicans no longer viewed Bush as a conservative in the mold of Reagan.

The President's standing among republicans continued to decline as issues such as spending and immigration began to dominate the news. By election day, the President was lucky if fifteen percent of Republicans viewed him as a conservative in the Reagan mode.

These conservatives sent a message on Election Day.

 

David Johnson is a noted pollster and consultant.