With Christie out, all eyes turn to Wasilla

The big news in the political world is that Chris Christie will not enter the GOP race, so what’s next? Many are mumbling underneath their breath that Republicans will be forced to choose between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, the current front-runners who have been labeled as having less than polarizing personalities. Perry seems to be losing momentum each day, the spotlight continues to shine on underdog Herman Cain, and according to a new Washington Post-ABC poll, the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza is in joint second place with Perry, each supported by 16% of Republicans; and Mitt Romney is back in front with 25%.

Let’s face it, that was one of the major positives of Chris Christie and perhaps why many in the media created a frenzy over a possible run. People liked Christie’s frankness, openness, sense of humor and tell-it-like-it is attitude. You don’t hear many politicians tell their state that they’re stuck with them! But with Christie out, the GOP race needs another shake-up. It’s obvious the media is looking for somebody to shake up the race and make things a bit more exciting. After all, consider the Republican debates. Nearly all of the candidates seem to be playing it safe with answers that they think everyone wants to hear. Answers that won’t lose them votes or alienate them from the pack.

What the GOP needs is a candidate who will attack Obama head-on, take on crony capitalism, speak their mind, and oh yeah, Go Rogue. So who is left that has the name recognition and star power to jump in late and still make a go of the 2012 GOP primary? No doubt with Christie’s announcement, there is still an opening to capture the hearts of Americans, take over media coverage, and become the conservative champion everyone is looking for.

This is where all eyes turn to Wasilla. Over the last few weeks, the draft-Christie campaign took over the airwaves. It was all everyone was talking about, but with that chapter now ended, it seems as though everyone will be waiting for that big decision from Wasilla, Alaska. Deadlines are looming and as the New York Times points out…

Ms. Palin now faces serious deadlines in October that, if missed, could keep her name off the presidential primary ballot.

The first of those comes on Oct. 15. By that date, Ms. Palin’s election team must deliver a letter of candidacy to the secretary of state in Utah if she wants her name to appear on that state’s ballot.

Utah is by no means a critical primary state, especially in a race that features two Mormon candidates, one of them a former governor of the state. Ms. Palin could decide that she does not need her name to appear.

But Florida comes next. By Oct. 31, that state’s Republican Party must deliver to state officials the list of candidates who are running for president there. It is a ballot she has to be on if she wants the Republican nomination.

Palin will be hitting the stage again on Friday as she’ll be co-hosting a “Defending the Republic” event with Glenn Beck in St. Louis. And this weekend, alongside Herman Cain, she’ll be speaking at the Liberty University Extraordinary Women conference in Lynchburg, Va.. We all know how Palin has the knack for garnering attention and it would seem that with Christie out, the media needs something or someone to talk about. The question is, will Palin jump in or not?

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As published on Examiner.com