The Hill: 10 coveted endorsements for Republicans running for president
by Michael O’Brien
06/25/11
While endorsements have begun to trickle in for Republican presidential candidates as they battle for standing in the race for the 2012 nomination, no game-changing endorsements haven’t been landed yet.
The Hill put together a list with some of the endorsements the presidential candidates covet most, listed below in no particular order.
Chris Christie
There’s no doubting the importance of a figure like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) right now in the Republican Party. He’s refused the numerous exhortations from conservative activists to enter the race for the GOP nomination, meaning his support could be even more valuable to a candidate in the race. His legislative victory this week over public employee unions only serves to build his profile.
Christie told the Washington Post this week that nobody yet has stood out that I’d like to get behind, but that hasn’t stopped the contenders from courting him. Virtually all the candidates and possible candidates have met with Christie and have lavished praise on him. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) cozied up to him in a Friday tweet praising the New Jersey pension reforms.
Nikki Haley
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) is another rising conservative star. Unlike Christie, she has the advantage of governing a state that hosts one of the earliest and most influential contests of the primary cycle.
The first-term governor was propelled to victory in part by a key endorsement by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) during the 2010 primary, but has said she doesn’t feel as though she owes Palin so much as to return the favor if Palin runs for president.
As for the other candidates? They haven’t impressed Haley much, either. She scolded the field of candidates to focus less time complaining about President Obama, and spend more time explaining how they would be different.
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