Days after the first 2008 primary contest in Iowa, only two things are clear. One of the following five men will be the Republican nominee for 2008 and nobody knows which one.

Mike Huckabee - Mitt Romney - Fred Thompson - John McCain - Rudy Giuliani

No matter how we feel about any of these five men, one of them will be the Republican nominee for 2008. Each represents a very different idea of what it is to be "republican" or "conservative." The time to make excuses or nuanced explanations for past policy positions has passed. The time to choose the next leader of America’s conservative movement, the Republican Party, has come.

Which of these men we choose through the primary process will determine how well the Republican Party can unite next November to defeat the Democrat nominee, be it Obama, Edwards or Clinton. The wrong choice will leave the party fractured and divided on ideological lines, and the door for another 1992 styled Democrat victory wide open. The right choice will bring all Republican voters into the booth for an Election Day victory.

It’s Time for Republicans to Take a Stand

Iowa voters sent a clear undeniable message. They took a stand. But what did they say?

Iowa Republicans chose Mike Huckabee, an affable guitar playing former Baptist minister who was Governor of Arkansas. A quick tongued jovial man who speaks the language of the common average American, with a pulpit styled sense of humor and a gentle ease of delivery.

Why did Iowa choose a Southern Pastor for President?

He’s clearly not the most conservative candidate in the race. He’s also not the most qualified, the best known or the best funded.

But he is the most "likable" which is to say, someone the people feel they can "trust."

The Jilted Lover Syndrome

Conservative voters across this nation are still angry over the past performance of the Republican controlled congress and the Republican White House. Both spent money like a drunken Kennedy at a Martha’s Vineyard lawn party, fought for open borders like Howard Dean counting illegal voters at the border and allowed what should have been a six month mission in Iraq to drift into a five year police action while Bin Laden still slips around Pakistan untouched.

In short, Republican voters don’t trust Republican politicians much more than Democrat politicians, whom they don’t trust at all.

So, beyond a resume’, a list of perfect conservative votes or the distinguishing backbone of an obvious leader, voters are looking for someone they can "trust" to carry out whatever their promises might be. After all, broken promises are worthless promises.

Slick vs. Substance – Rhetoric vs. Reality

Liberals have always fallen for slick rhetoric over substance or reality. But conservatives have always preferred real substance, less impressed by slick rhetoric from sly salesmen.

Jilted by the last Republicans they put in power, they are being even more careful than normal in choosing the next leader of their party, as well they should. As a result, the race is far from settled. But the message is clear… Slick isn’t going to cut it in 2008. Reality will trump rhetoric in the Republican primary process, or Democrats will win in ’08.

The Five

Rather than writing my opinions about each of the five potential nominees, I am interested in testing the fire in the belly of the average Republican voter. I want to know if Republican voters are really ready to unite behind conservative principles at the foundation of the Republican Party, or if they are still trying to negotiate the middle ground, split hairs and nominate a candidate aligned only marginally to the right of the Democrat candidates.

Assuming that one of these five men will indeed be the ultimate Republican nominee, which do you feel is best qualified to carry the conservative agenda of the Republican Party forward in the 2008 general election?

Vote only once please. Visit http://www.jb-williams.com to cast your vote. The results will be the subject of my next column, so please vote before Midnight Monday January 7, 2008.