I heard one Gingrich backer on conservative talk radio today knock Mitt Romney as someone Republicans had already rejected as the presidential nominee. But that actually makes him the perfect fit to be a GOP nominee.
Since 1964, Republicans have nominated either (a) the incumbent, (b) someone who had run for president before, or (c) the son of the former president. Put another way: George W. Bush is the only person won the GOP nomination on his first try (not counting Gerald Ford who won the nomination for the first time as an incumbent).
1968 GOP Nominee: Richard Nixon, who had lost the general in 1960.
1972: Nixon, incumbent.
1976: Ford, incumbent.
1980: Ronald Reagan, who had lost the primary in 1976.
1984: Reagan, incumbent.
1988: George H. W. Bush, who had lost the primary in 1980
1992: GHW Bush, incumbent
1996: Bob Dole, who had lost the primary in 1988
2000: George W. Bush, son of the former president
2004: GW Bush, incumbent.
2008: John McCain, who had lost t in 2000 the primary.
