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Republicans fumbling the ball?  By Julian Zelizer, CNN
Contributor updated 7:37 AM EST, Thu December 22, 2011 House
Speaker John Boehner and Senate MInority Leader Mitch McConnell
appeared together at a news conference July 30, 2011 on Capitol
Hill.   • Julian Zelizer: GOP was set for a strong showing in
2012 elections   • He says handling of the payroll tax cut
extension hurts their chances   • People think their candidate
is more Goldwater than Reagan, he says   • Zelizer: GOP pre-
primary season is dominated by negative campaigning   Princeton,
New Jersey (CNN) -- Every football fan knows the feeling of
watching his or her favorite team implode as a result of
mistakes. Even when the odds of victory are good, turnovers and
penalties can kill any hope within minutes.  The Republicans
might become one of those teams. The GOP goes into the 2012
election in relatively good shape. The laggard economy and
rising deficit have placed President Barack Obama and