Listen to Republicans talk about what they want in their 2012 presidential nominee and most often the conversation veers toward a common denominator: someone who can beat President Obama in the general election.
Tea Party movement members want a candidate who respects their call for reduced federal spending and a less-intrusive government - and someone who can beat Obama.
Wall Street titans call for reduced government regulation and a repeal of the Dodd-Frank law - and someone who can beat Obama.
Social conservatives, birthers, and others focused on the candidates’ personal qualities want a nominee who is religious, doesn’t apologize for the country - and is someone who can beat Obama.
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The rap on Mitt Romney, the GOP frontrunner much of this year, is that the former Massachusetts governor’s history of political flip-flops make him vulnerable to Obama in a general election campaign.
Critics also say his support for a state universal health insurance mandate neuters him as a critic of the federal “Obamacare” program in any head-to-head match-up. That is a key point of contention for administration opponents.
Against that list of demands, and in light of those common critiques of Romney, there has been the rise of the latest alternative nominee, former House speaker Newt Gingrich.
The latest ABC News-Washington Post poll of likely Iowa Republican caucuses-goers - the portion of the population that will most likely decide the winner on Jan. 3 - found that Gingrich was the most popular choice.
He garnered 33 percent of the vote to 18 percent for both Romney and Representative Ron Paul of Texas.
Texas Governor Rick Perry scored 11 percent of the vote, Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota had 8 percent, former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania was next with 7 percent, while former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman was last at 2 percent.
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Yet Gingrich’s ascent challenges the supposedly prime rationale for picking the GOP’s nominee: the ability to beat Obama in the general election.
And many of Romney’s perceived flaws are only exacerbated by Gingrich.
The fact that Gingrich has faced far less White House and Obama campaign criticism than Romney as he has emerged is especially telling.
The White House is telegraphing it would prefer to run against Gingrich than Romney. In fact, some Obama aides have conceded being most concerned about Huntsman, the one candidate who has yet to have a moment in the national spotlight as has Bachmann, Perry, former candidate Herman Cain, and, now, Gingrich.
Why?
When it comes of flip-flops, Gingrich’s own are legion. The Globe’s Brian C. Mooney catalogues some today. Romney himself exposed the former speaker’s past support for a health care mandate during a recent debate.
When it comes to social or personal failings, Romney’s Mormon lifestyle and single marriage compares favorably to Gingrich’s three unions - and the sordid circumstances surrounding them.
And when it comes to organizational strength and general management, Gingrich again isn’t measuring up to either Romney or Obama.
Romney had raised $32.2 million for his campaign as of Sept. 30; Gingrich had raised $2.9 million. Romney had no debts as of that date; Gingrich $1.2 million worth. Romney had $14.7 million cash on hand; Gingrich had $353,000.
Obama dwarfed both with $89 million raised and $61.4 million cash on hand, but Romney has a personal fortune estimated at up to $250 million - which could be tapped at any difference-making moment - and a fund-raising network that includes more billionaire supporters than the sitting president.
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Gingrich, meanwhile, has already had one wholesale staff defection; Romney, by contrast, has virtually the same core of advisers since serving in the Massachusetts State House, and a leaner overall staff in his second White House campaign than the first.
Obama’s campaign is similarly being led by the core of his 2008 staff.
And while the Romney campaign keeps neat stacks of documents cataloguing its registration in various primaries and caucuses, Gingrich has already missed one deadline - in Missouri - and stands at risk in other states, including Ohio tomorrow.
Obama is already a sure bet for the Democrats’ 2012 finale.
If the standard for picking a GOP nominee is someone who can win the general election against an incumbent president, it’s helpful for a candidate to make the primary ballot. Especially in swing states.
Glen Johnson can be reached at johnson@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @globeglen.