Revved-Up GOP Ponders 2012

At WSJ, "Palin's Viability as Presidential Front-Runner Is Closely Scrutinized; 'Ideas Are Going to Matter'":

A revitalized Republican Party began looking toward the 2012 presidential election with renewed optimism about its prospects but uncertainty about who was best positioned to lead the charge.

Republican Sarah Palin was drawing especially close scrutiny from some in the GOP for signs of her viability as front-runner. Ms. Palin emerged from Tuesday's elections as a champion of the tea party movement that helped spur a Republican wave. But losses Tuesday by Ms. Palin's hand-picked candidates in Nevada and Delaware showed the limits to her powers, while preliminary results in her home state of Alaska showed her favored candidate, Joe Miller, was trailing.

"Sarah Palin is a beloved figure in the Republican Party, but now we shift gears—and, in the party, ideas are going to matter," said Katon Dawson, former chairman of the South Carolina GOP. He said Ms. Palin would "get fully vetted on her service in Alaska."

Ms. Palin's active media presence and endorsements in the midterm campaign have maintained her high profile as a spokeswoman for her party. In a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll in mid-October, Republicans cited her most often as the "most important leader or spokesperson'' for the GOP. Ms. Palin was named by 19% of Republicans in the survey, ahead of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, at 16%, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, at 14%, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, at 13%.

Independent voters also cited Ms. Palin as the "most important'' GOP leader, but they listed Mr. Romney second most frequently, with Mr. Huckabee a more distant third.

Other potential candidates include Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, South Dakota Sen. John Thune and Rep. Mike Pence (R., Ind.).

Matt Kibbe, president of the conservative tea-party group FreedomWorks, said Wednesday he would add a new name to the list: Florida Sen.-elect Marco Rubio, a 39-year-old Cuban-American who is a tea party hero and could help Republicans expand their reach to Hispanics and younger voters.

"The American people are looking for new blood," he said.

More at the link.

All this sounds serious, but the same assets will count in 2012 as in past races (grassroots support, media exposure and polling, and money --- lots of money, which will be Sarah Palin's key advantage over a number of other challengers for the GOP nomination).