"I think that Fred Thompson has the best combination of the tremendous talent to connect firmly with the American people … combined with a mainstream conservative philosophy that I think the American people will resonate to," DeVore said.
Another factor that makes Thompson more attractive is problems with the three apparent GOP front-runners: Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney, DeVore said.
What's wrong with them? McCain, the Arizona senator, has turned conservatives off by allying himself with Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy on an immigration bill, Romney flip-flopped twice on abortion and gay marriage, and Giuliani seems too willing to subordinate Americans' civil liberties to national security, DeVore said.
"I believe in liberty above everything, not security above everything," he said.
Could Thompson be the new Ronald Reagan? DeVore gave a qualified answer.
"I think that Ronald Reagan is Ronald Reagan. Nobody is the 'new Ronald Reagan,' " DeVore said.
But still, DeVore doesn't think any president since Reagan has clearly articulated the conservative philosophy, he said, and he believes Thompson is up to that task. He's guessing Thompson may announce his candidacy by the end of the month.
ZIP CODES TELL ALL
In other presidential candidate news, it's probably no surprise to anyone that some estimates show if you divide up political contributions by geography, one Newport Beach zip code ranks high on several candidates' lists.
The campaign finance website opensecrets.org, run by the nonpartisan Washington think-tank Center for Responsive Politics reports the 92660 zip code is among top locations for donors to McCain and Romney.
