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January 22, 2008

Thompson Drops Out of the Presidential Race

Republican candidate did well among evangelicals but never took off.

Sarah Pulliam

Republican Presidential candidate Fred Thompson dropped out of the presidential race Tuesday, the New York Times writes.

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Mr. Thompson, 65, rode in to the campaign powered by the high hopes of conservative Republicans who were disappointed with the field of candidates and hoped that Mr. Thompson - a television actor and former counsel to the Watergate committee - could rally conservatives behind him. But Mr. Thompson instead brought a phlegmatic style to the campaign trail, and his candidacy never took off.


Even though Thompson appealed to some social conservatives and received an endorsement from the National Right to Life, he never drew significant numbers. He entered the race late in the game, told voters he didn't attend church and said he would not talk about religion on the campaign.

He placed third in South Carolina, apparently taking votes away from Mike Huckabee. Unless Huckabee decides to campaign more heavily in Florida, Thompson's exit from the race will likely help Mitt Romney in Florida.

posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey | Comments (2)

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I remember a lot of buzz in the media when he announced his candidacy, then a whole lot of nothing. I guess he didn't learn that the media wouldn't campaign for him. Still, I'm sure the Republican party is kicking itself for blowing its shot at the coveted Law and Order watching bloc.

Posted By: Fakey McFakerson | January 22, 2008 5:40 PM

I was excited about the tough-talking Thompson when he was first rumored to be considering entering the race. Then he took a pass on the "Values Voter Debate," which gave Huckabee a great opportunity to shine in front of conservatives and Christians in South Florida.

Didn't Thompson publicly diss Dr. Dobson? (I may be mistaken, but I thought that had happened.) I'd be curious to know if there is any analysis about what seemed to me to be repeated efforts by Thompson to distance himself from evangelicals. Huckabee has embraced them ... and he's still in the running (though fading in Florida).

Posted By: Dan Philips | January 25, 2008 11:33 AM