Democrats seem all but certain to nominate Hillary Clinton as their presidential candidate in 2016, which means Republicans need to find the closest thing to her polar opposite, says longtime conservative advocate Richard Viguerie.
Viguerie, who has a long career in political marketing, told J.D. Hayworth on "America's Forum" on Newsmax TV Monday that Clinton can easily be cast as a Washington insider — meaning the Republican nominee needs to come from outside the Beltway.
"I think we should look to the states for a candidate in 2016," Viguerie said. He cited governors like Wisconsin's Scott Walker and Louisiana's Bobby Jindal as possibilities.
The bigger concern, Viguerie said, is that the conservative movement has unwittingly been waging a civil war within its ranks ever since Teddy Roosevelt formed the Bull Moose Party in 1912.
"We as conservatives have not realized we are in a civil war. You're not likely to win a war you're not aware you're in," said Viguerie, whose latest book,
"Takeover: the 100-Year War for the Soul of the GOP and How Conservatives can Finally Win It," discusses that internal battle.
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In the midterm elections and in 2016, it will be critical for Republicans to embrace conservative candidates.
"If we're going to win, we're going to have to put conservatives as the face of the opposition to the Democrats," Viguerie said.
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