GOP torn over whether Romney or Perry can best make case against Obama

By Niall Stanage - 08/17/11 12:00 PM ET

The entrance of Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas) into the presidential race has placed many Republicans in a quandary.

The question is simple: Would Perry or former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts be a stronger general-election candidate against President Obama? The answer is the subject of feverish debate — and genuine uncertainty.

The common perception is that Romney would hold more appeal to centrist voters in November 2012 but that he might struggle to energize the conservative base.

Perry, on the other hand, sets activist pulses pounding, but also alarms some mainstream Republicans who fear that his conservatism is too rich for the general public’s palate.

The concern is heightened by Perry’s sometimes bellicose rhetoric, exhibited once again on Monday when he used the words “almost treasonousâ€