There are a lot of ways to describe the Republican search for somebody to represent their party in this year's presidential election.

"Settled" isn't one of them.

While Democrats bite their fingernails over presidential front-runners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, Republicans face a free-for-all.

John McCain, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Rudy Giuliani are all competitive, and they might be even after Feb. 5, dubbed "Tsunami Tuesday" because a tidal wave of states including California hold primaries on that day.

Local Republicans are in various stages of uncertainty about which candidate matches up best against Obama and Clinton.

"I have absolutely no idea. It's too early," said Prudence Eiland, chairwoman of the Kings County Republican central committee.

Eiland believes the opponent will be Clinton, whom she thinks any of the current Republican contenders would do well against.

"(Clinton) has very high negatives," Eiland said.

Frank Silva, owner of Fashion Cleaners in Hanford, thinks Giuliani or Romney would be most likely to beat Obama or Clinton.

"They are both accomplished men, in the private and public sectors," Silva said.

But Giuliani faces significant obstacles among Republican voters, particularly those concerned about social issues like abortion, homosexuality and the sanctity of marriage.

Giuliani is strongly pro-choice, is not opposed to gay marriage -- qualities which would likely help him in Democratic-leaning states.

Romney has his weaknesses too.

He's perceived as being insincere and a bit malleable, said Thomas Hansford, a political science professor at University of California, Merced.

And nobody's sure if or how Romney's Mormonism will affect some of the same Republican voters for whom the pro-life position is paramount.

Silva said he's not sure if "far right Christians" will accept the fact that Romney is Mormon. He said he hopes it won't be an issue.

Hansford thinks McCain matches up best against both Clinton and Obama in polls currently being conducted.

"To the extent he is seen as a sort of maverick, that helps him pick up independent voters," Hansford said.

But many Republicans are skeptical of McCain precisely because of his maverick positions.

"I don't trust him. I think he's overly accommodating to the Democrats," said Silva.

And what about Huckabee, Baptist minister and former Arkansas governor?

Local Republican reactions range from like to dislike to indifference.

Lemoore resident Noah Lawson, a fan, called Huckabee "a populist in the mold of Theodore Roosevelt."

"Huckabee is not a leader. I'm not sold on Huckabee. I don't trust anything coming out of Arkansas. I'll be honest with you, I just don't," said Silva.

Silva "definitely" favors Giuliani because "he's a doer."

Huckabee's weakness is that he could become a polarizing figure in the general election because of his very strong anti-gay marriage and pro-life stances.

"He's very biblical. He's clearly the religious candidate," Hansford said.

Lawson said he's not sure how strong the evangelical Christian voting bloc is and he's not sure how a pro-life candidate like Huckabee would play out in the general election.

Lemoore area farmer Jack Stone said he just doesn't have much information on Huckabee.

Stone's view on the abortion issue: "I would like the government to stay clear the hell out of it."

Whoever the Republicans pick, the presumptive advantage goes to the Democrats, primarily because of strong disapproval of President Bush, according to Hansford.

"People tend to vote retroactively. You tend to vote out those who have been in power," he said.

Most Republicans seem to agree.

Stone thinks there's been a "big slide to the left" among Americans.

"The Democrats really seem a lot more on fire than the Republican Party. I mean, they're coming out," Silva said.

"People always like to switch after eight years of one party," said Katherine Andes, a Hanford business owner.

Hansford thinks the war in Iraq and the slumping economy will play in Democrats' favor -- the war because of pervasive dissatisfaction with it and the economy because "a bad economy always hurts the incumbent party."

Republicans aren't so sure.

They point to the surge strategy, which seems to be paying dividends in Iraq. They point to polls showing Americans less supportive of a rapid troop withdrawal than they were a few months ago.

But Hansford said that, despite the improvement in Iraq, there has been little change in Bush's low job approval rating.

Republicans seem unsure whether to distance themselves from President Bush or defend him.

Eiland thinks Obama and Clinton have made a "big mistake" running against Bush because "he's not running." She said Congress's approval rating is as low as Bush's (Democrats hold majorities in both the House and the Senate.)

Stone defended Bush, attributing his low approval rating to "ignorance."

Silva doesn't think Republicans should distance themselves from Bush.

As Republicans head into "Tsunami Tuesday," it was Andes who may have best captured the prevailing climate of uncertainty.

"The week before last I liked Mitt Romney, the following week I like McCain and last week I liked Huckabee," she said.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2432.

(Jan. 18, 2008)