Show f mi mi GOP SOP voters are undecided on a leader Doyle McManus Los Angeles Times National polls show former New York Mayor R Rudolph dolph W. W Giuliani leading tHe pack of Republican presidential contenders Statewide Statewide polls in Iowa aid aDd New Hampshire the k key y early states in the then n nomination process find Massachusetts Gj Mitt in Romney the strongest position But an evening with c conservative voters in ina m a suburb of Virginias Virginia's prosperous prosperous capital tells a a different story Many Republicans arc are still essentially undecided re looking for the next Reagan and they're n not t sure they've found him y yet t although some are h hoping former Sen Fred Th Thompson of Tennessee l ll ride in and sweep them themo o off f their feet The next president needs to be a strong leader somebody who's going td be able ble to pull the country 9 together said Susie Rommell 54 an information technology tr trainer iner She favors Giuliani but bit could change her mindI mind I want a strong c conservative conservative said David Armstrong 42 an accountant He favors T Thompson ompson 1 lIn i In a two-hour-long two discussion organized by p pollster llster Peter D. D Hart for the Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania a dozen GOP GDP voters late this week I discussed the issues on their minds the qualities they want in a president and their uncertainty about their party's candidates The country is not in good shape they agreed Were in a lot of trouble said Ted Lacy 38 a software designer Theres the war especially and were we're spending more than we should I dont don't want my grandchildren inheriting what were we're setting up said June Beninghove 67 who described herself as a full time grandmother The problems they talked about included not only the war in Iraq but the threat of terrorism a flagging economy illegal immigration and to some at the root of it all declining moral values All 12 voted for George W. W Bush in 2000 and 2004 but few were willing to offer much praise for him now Mixed results said Brian Matt 48 a mortgage banker Disappointment said Ann Turner 34 a fitness instructor I think we need needa a breath of fresh air Eight of the 12 2 said they want the next president to take the country in a direction different from the course Bush has set But when it comes to the Republican candidates these conservative voters haven't been won over by anyone No standouts said Jill Morley 44 a schoolteacher At the beginning of the evening a straw poll around the table gave Giuliani four votes Thompson three Romney two and Sen John McCain of Arizona two One of the participants didn't make a choice Two hours later when offered a choice between Giuliani and Thompson nine of the 12 voters said they probably would pick Thompson Giuliani won praise for his toughness and his leadership in New NewYork York after the terrorist attacks of Sept 11 2001 but but criticism for his moderate positions on abortion and civil unions for homosexuals Thompson won praise for his conservative positions on social issues and what these voters perceived as his more approachable personality Thompson is more people more open more listening said Jennifer Wade Vade 23 a telephone call- call center worker The thrust of the focus group discussion mirrored the findings of a Los Angeles Times Bloomberg poll in October That survey found Giuliani and Thompson are the most popular candidates among GOP voters nationwide but many said they could end up supporting someone else Several women in the group asked to describe Giuliani chose unflattering adjectives Cold said Wade Cocky said Beninghove Thompson on the other hand is more like Reagan said George Kraynak 65 a retired maintenance supervisor Terry Austin 49 a aVirginia aVirginia aVirginia Virginia state trooper said Thompson reminds me of ofa ofa a time gone by that wed we'd like to have back Hes He's got that air of a good 0 ol of country boy that's got the thc whole country in his mind Asked which can candidate they would want to organize their neighborhoods neighborhood's response to a disaster nine of 12 named Giuliani Asked which candidate they would most want to spend a weekend with 10 said Thompson Romney who is hoping that wins in Iowa and New Hampshire will vault him to the nomination presented a problem to many of these voters They dont don't know much ab about ut him but they do know hes he's a Mormon and that Armstrong said makes me nervous Five of the 12 voters s said d Romneys Romney's faith made them unlikely to vote for himI himI himI him I really hate to hold someone's religion against them said Matt But part of being a strong leader is having Christian values in inthe inthe inthe the mainstream He added Im not unmovable If Romney did bring his religion into the open and assured the American people Im going to govern in a broad and open way the way John F. F Kennedy who was our first Catholic president did I think that might sway me Romney has mused about making such a speech and most analysts expect him to todo todo todo do so at some point As for McCain these voters expressed respect for his heroism as a prisoner of war in Vietnam but show showed d little inclination to vote for him The presidency is a stress high-stress job and I think age would be a factor Austin said McCain 71 would be bethe bethe bethe the oldest person elected I I president t The leading Democratic candidate New York Sen Hillary Rodham Clinton won grudging respect as asa asa asa a formidable figure but not surprisingly no support from these conservatives extremely competent said Matt I just dont don't happen to agree with her Id vote for Mickey Mouse before Id I'd vote for Hillary Clinton said said- Armstrong |