The Republican debate Wednesday night in Mesa, the final debate before the primaries, returns the political spotlight and eye of the nation to Arizona.
The remaining candidates vying for nomination to represent the GOP in the 2012 Presidential election will convene at the Mesa Arts Center to discuss their individual campaign platforms and present their case one last time before Arizona and Michigan hold their presidential preference elections on Tuesday, Feb. 28.
The recent CNN/ORC International Poll — which is based on interviews conducted via telephone calls with 467 registered Republicans likely to vote in the Arizona Republican presidential primary — asked participants the question: “If the Republican presidential primary were held today, please tell me which of the following people you would be most likely to support. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney or former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum?” The results are as follows:
Romney 36%
Santorum 32%
Gingrich 18%
Paul 6%
Someone else (vol.) *
None/ No one (vol.) 1%
No opinion 6%
These numbers are slightly shocking compared to the days leading up to some of the previous debates. It’s as if the Republican voters polled can’t seem to make up their minds as each candidate has seen numerous rises and falls in the ratings.
So, with support waning and changing for each candidate, we thought it would be important to address some issues that the Republican hopefuls will talk about, some they should talk about and others they should avoid all together.
As the debate is taking place in a state notorious for its stance on immigration this will likely be a key issue that is addressed. Border security has always been important to Arizonans and ever so controversial in the legislature. It almost goes without saying that the GOP candidates will share their thoughts on Senate Bill 1070 and offer up their solution to this issue.
The Republican candidates will likely discuss a wide range of foreign policy issues, touching on President Barack Obama’s handling of the Arab Spring, bilateral relations with China and Russia and the looming possibility of an imminent war with Iran over its disputed nuclear program. With the civil war in Syria spiraling out of control and the war drums among the United States, Israel, and Iran beating louder by the day, it is likely that foreign policy and the 3 a.m. phone call will be a hot topic in tomorrow’s debate.
An issue that is of paramount importance here in Arizona and on the minds of voters nationwide is education. College debt is growing at rates that threaten any notion of financial security for this generation of college grads. If our future could potentially be in the hands of one of the four politicians participating in the debate, it would be a disservice to the voters to not shed some light on how each one of them plan to address the situation.
An issue that voters could go without hearing more debate over, however, is health care — at least from this side of the political spectrum. In previous debates, the candidates all proved an obstinacy to discuss the issue any further than tearing down Obama’s views and policies.
Tune in and be active.
Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
