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Mitt Romney
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Religion: Mormon
Education: B.A., Brigham Young University, 1971; M.B.A., Harvard University, 1975; J.D., Harvard University, 1975
Public Office: Massachusetts governor, 2003-07
Issue Positions: Supports TARP; passed universal health insurance with an individual mandate in Massachusetts; cut corporate taxes to encourage job growth.
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Quote: “Wasteful spending by government drains capital that could otherwise fuel growth. Excessive taxation and outmoded regulation are economic brakes.… But there is much more that compels us to pursue a productivity and growth agenda—it is essential to preserve the America we know.”
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Mitch Daniels
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Religion: Presbyterian
Education: B.A., Princeton University, 1971; J.D., Georgetown University, 1979
Public Office: Indiana governor, 2005-present; director, Office of Management and Budget, 2001-2003
Issue Positions: Means-test Social Security benefits and raise the retirement age; is open to higher gas and sales taxes; expand school choice with voucher system.
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Quote: “[The next president] would have to call a truce on the so-called social issues. We’re just going to have to agree to get along for a little while.”
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Haley Barbour
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Religion: Presbyterian
Education: J.D., University of Mississippi, 1973
Public Office: Mississippi governor, 2005-present; Republican National Committee chairman, 1993-97
Issue Positions: Keep all taxes at current or lower rates; reduce foreign oil imports and expand domestic oil and gas production; reenact “Mexico City policy” banning overseas abortion funding.
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Quote: “Limited government and strong, safe families have been fundamental elements of American society since our founding, but they are under an unprecedented attack.”
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John Thune
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Religion: Baptist
Education: B.A., Biola University, 1983; M.B.A., University of South Dakota, 1984
Public Office: Senator, South Dakota, 2005-present; U.S. representative, 1997-2003
Issue Positions: Amend Constitution to ban same-sex marriage; supported TARP; redirect wasteful government spending toward tax cuts.
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Quote: “Republicans held town-hall meetings while Democrats ran from them. Republicans heard the messages of anger and frustration. We understand that the American people want Washington to grow the economy rather than grow government.”
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Tim Pawlenty
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Religion: Baptist
Education: B.A., University of Minnesota, 1983; J.D., University of Minnesota, 1986
Public Office: Minnesota governor, 2003-present; Minnesota state representative, 1993-2003
Issue Positions: Bring pay and benefits for public employees in line with the private sector; allow purchase of health insurance across state lines; opposed TARP.
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Quote: “We proved that even in deep-blue Minnesota, taxpayers can take on Big Government and Big Labor and win. In coming years, that fight will have to be joined throughout the country in city halls, state capitals, and in Washington, D.C.”
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Newt Gingrich
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Religion: Roman Catholic
Education: B.A., Emory University, 1965; M.A., Tulane University, 1968; Ph.D., Tulane University, 1971
Public Office: House speaker, 1995-98; U.S. representative, 1979-99
Issue Positions: Enact tort reform and crack down on medical fraud; “reluctantly” supported TARP; pay children to study math and science.
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Quote: “What disappoints me is that there are a number of very important fundamental improvements in government that would save an amazing amount of money…. For some reason, when you get politicians in a room and they close the door, they go back to the same old staff reports with the same old bad ideas.”
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Mike Huckabee
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Religion: Baptist
Education: B.A., Ouachita Baptist University, 1975
Public Office: Arkansas governor, 1996-2007; Arkansas lieutenantgovernor, 1993-96
Issue Positions: Replace federal income tax with a flat national sales tax; opposed TARP; enact policies supporting “traditional families.”
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Quote: “I’m appealing to a group of Republicans who really feel disaffected by what is best termed as the Wall Street Republican. I’m not a Wall Street Republican—I’m a Main Street Republican.”
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Sarah Palin
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Religion: Nondenominational Protestant
Education: B.S., University of Idaho, 1987
Public Office: Alaska governor, 2007-09; Wasilla mayor, 1996-2002
Issue Positions: Drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; voucherize Medicare and replace Social Security with personal retirement accounts; first supported, now opposes TARP.
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Quote: “The American people have a principled wisdom that all the lawyers and academics and schooled-up ‘experts’ in D.C. fail to appreciate.”
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