Posted on 01/17/2012 3:32:52 PM PST by Jim Robinson
RealClear Republican Presidential Polls as of January 17:
South Carolina, Monmouth University: Romney 33, Gingrich 22, Paul 12, Santorum 14, Perry 6
South Carolina, Rasmussen Reports: Romney 35, Gingrich 21, Paul 16, Santorum 16, Perry 5
Florida, PPP (D): Romney 41, Gingrich 26, Santorum 11, Paul 10, Perry 4
Florida, Sunshine State News/VSS: Romney 46, Gingrich 20, Santorum 12, Paul 9, Perry 3
Nationwide ABC News/Wash Post Romney 36, Gingrich 16, Santorum 13, Paul 16, Perry 9
Nationwide Gallup Tracking: Romney 34, Gingrich 15, Santorum 15, Paul 12, Perry 6
Like it or not, the trend has been clear for weeks. If we wish a conservative to be our nominee, Perry should drop out of the race and we should coalesce around Gingrich or Santorum. As long as all three or even two of the three remain in the race the conservative vote will be split and RINO Romney will get the nomination.
Gingrich should challenge Santorum to a series of Lincoln-Douglas style one-on-one debates and if there is a clear winner, then the loser should drop out, or in the very least, we may be able to better decide which one is better suited to take on Romney and Obama.
May our very best conservative take on and defeat Romney/Paul and then wipe out Obama!!
Wake up, partner!
When Perry is trailing kinda badly in his own state of Texas where they know him best, PLUS running VERY low single digits in the decider state of SC — after earning 10% & 1% in IA & NH, it’s waaaaaaaaaaaay past time time to cut bait.
Hey, he tried. But enough is enough for the cowboy.
That would be so cool. Imagine if they did that 'immediately', it would turn the entire campaign into a new dimension. One complete 'ticket' campaigning immediately for the nomination, and... start to campaign against Obama right away! It would be 'new' and 'exciting' enough to draw attention without millions required in ad buys.
Again, still waiting to hear back from the Gingrich campaign....
Yes, Newt Gingrich had a great debate and I don't dispute that but a good debate from another candidate won't make me turn my back on my candidate.
Maybe a few girlfriends falling out of the ceiling might such as with some of the other faux conservative candidates but that is not going to happen with Rick Perry.
If we use your theory that we should all support Newt in order to stop Mitt than you must think we should all support Mitt, should he be the candidate, in order to stop Obama. What s the difference?
There is virtually no real difference between Newt and Rick on voting history or policy. You’re quoting some rhetoric from Newt and I recognize much of it as completely misconstrued and misunderstood. He never said the era of Reagan was over, and why would you simply ignore that he’s described himself as a Reagan conservative about a million times, as well as being endorsed by Michael Reagan and Reagan’s economist and speechwriter?
Your description of Rick as a “a pro-life pro-heterosexual pro-family pro-military pro-America fanatic” actually sounds more like Newt than Rick. Newt knows more about America than Rick because Newt knows our history and where we came from like the back of his hand.
All you are doing is voting for the candidate who has far less of a chance to win than Newt and therefore most likely handing the election to Romney, who does not espouse the same values as Newt and Rick do.
Well I would love that too, but alas I’m pretty sure she won’t.
We carry on beyond these open primaries.
This year we have proportional delegates, not winner take all.
You and others who make such suggestions call for violation of federal election law. It's not gonna happen.
Look I like him and have supported him but even a blind man or his most ardent supporter can now see it is over for Perry.
Sorry, I will never support Romney, even if he’s the candidate. And if we do not coalesce around a conservative, he will be.
What law, and why and how do federal election laws apply to INTERNAL political party elections? If true, that's another absurdity on top of the states having to organize and fund INTERNAL political party elections. (Not a flame, just my opinion.)
just looked and now they look into a candidates wife before she was married
The left have nothing but hate, bigotry and a victim card.
They have stopped into lower levels than I had ever thought possible.
I agree with your idea that Gingrich should challenge Santorum to a series of Lincoln-Douglas style one-on-one debates and if there is a clear winner, then the loser should drop out, or in the very least, we may be able to better decide which one is better suited to take on Romney and Obama.
Did you catch Gingrich and Santorum on CSPAN Saturday at a Greenville Spartanburg forum? They both answered questions from SC congressmen Trey Gowdy and Jeff Duncan. Gingrich was up first and excelled. Santorum came after and was lackluster in comparison.
Here is video from CSPAN at the link. Listen to Newt answer a question about what is the American Dream and how he would protect it (at 23:50 through 28:45). Priceless. Also Newt’s closing remarks (29:30 to 34:30) were great.
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/303686-1
I am in Florida and prefer Newt due to the fact we are going to be up against some vicious tactics and Newt is a fighter. I also like that he defines Obama for the radical that he is and pulls no punches. America needs to hear the truth and have it spelled out clearly. I love Santorum’s enthusiasm and spunk as well as his conservatism. Perry is obviously great too but having a hard time catching up quickly enough. Whoever we end up choosing I will support. Watching Romney gaining is making me nervous.
I am not giving up.
We absolutely need to coalesce around a conservative candidate. It is time to put all of the differences aside as to realize we will never have a pure candidate and go with one candidate. At this crossroads, Newt has fired me up more than anyone has. When he is spot on, he sounds like a leader. I can't see that excitement in the others. I have given funds to all candidates from day one but last night, I put all of my support fully to Newt. Newt has been in the establishment, I know. He has the experience to get in there and makes changes on day one because he respects our constitution. The issues with his past wives is not of my concern. To those bringing up Clinton, Newt looks tame, besides is it for me to judge him. Clinton did things in the oval office as the lap dog media knew which is a big difference. Yes, the libs hate him for the welfare reform; Pelosi would hate him being back in charge. That reform lifts people out of the poverty cycle. Newt needs a badge for that alone. If we don't support Newt in a strong voice, we will get Romney then Obama. We are running against an open primary when dems are voting to cause problems so we need this unity. We don't need to lay down and allow liberal Romney as the nominee. We have the best message which Newt showed beautifully last night. If we cannot win with that message, it's like we are giving up or allowing to not even try. Both Ricks say Mitt is too liberal on many important issues and he is no conservative. It looks like they both are only thinking of themselves now, not a bigger picture or they never really wanted a chance to try for a change. IMO.
“Couldn’t we just roll Romney in an alley in Charleston? /s”
+1
Ok, got ya, not the style you were looking for.
Obama will win anyway as long as we continue to have the same old fat windbag insiders who talk a good game and are a just another Boehner/McCain look alike as our candidate.
What kind of rebellion is that? Sounds like the same old same old to me. Real conservatives want real change.
Sorry, I let wishful thinking get in the way of critical thinking...but coincidences do happen ;-)
The conventional wisdom outside of FR, in "mainstream" media is that Romney is the strongest candidate vs. Obama. I don't necessarily agree with that, partly because my opinions are not those of elite liberal media.
But Democrats and many independents are the product of the left wing media. Your assumptions is that all these Democrats and independents all read FR, they found here that Romney is the weakest candidate, and therefore, in open primary are going to vote Romney, in order to weaken GOP, strnghten Dems..
That, to me, is just not intuitive. Open primary will result in more of the less conservative voters participating. But it is not a conspiracy to give GOP the weakest candidate. It is just that they (some Democrats - mostly "former" Democrats, and some independents) have found a candidate they liked.
Nope. It's the style Newt was pushing until he was challenged to one by Santorum.
Right. As of now, the fate of our country hangs by a very thin thread. If we let the conservative vote be split, it will be a disaster.
I don’t think that the Paujl people would move to any other GOP candidate if he dropped out. Most will retreat to the bong and the rest will go to the Liberttarians.
Perry was close to dropping out after NH, and I am certain does not want to be VP....Santorum on the other hand would probably jump at the opportunity to be VEEP. Gingrich/Santorum would actually be a formidable ticket.
Gingrich +5%
Paul +5%
Santorum -1%
Perry -5%
Romney -5%
Problem solving at its best, LOL.
Try asking Alvin Toffler. I love that Newt is so open minded and willing to experiment. I just think his lack of discipline makes him a loose cannon on deck. Winning debates is different than winning national elections. I remember the 1990s and Newt is extremely polarizing. People who are not interested in doing the research will be horrified by the things Newt has said and done, both professionally and personally. That said, I will gladly vote for anyone,including Newt, selected by the GOP to run against President Obama, who IMHO is on a mission to destroy America.
Newt/Bolton 2012 works for me.
Muss his hair up a little LoL!
Nah, that’s industrial strength grease-—that stuff is gonna hold like tar, LOL.
Well, I like the changes Newt’s suggesting like a 15% personal flat tax after deductions and a 12.5% corporate tax. Elimination of the capital gains tax. Privatize social security and medicare and eliminate the payroll tax. Neuter the Fed and the EPA. Eliminate 185 federal welfare programs and return them to the states and the people. Repeal ObamaCare, repeal Dodd-Frank, repeal Sarbanes-Oxley, fire the czars and dismantle the Marxist government. Cut government, cut spending, cut entitlements, cut taxes, cut regulations, cut borrowing, cut the deficit, reduce unemployment, balance the budget and create an environment for the free market to flourish. Set our people free to produce and prosper AND enjoy the fruits of their labor. What’s not to like? And he has a history of conservative accomplishments just like these with the Reagan Revolution of the 80’s and the Republican Revolution of the 90’s. And I believe he has the fire in the belly to do it again.
Ah well.
It was worth consideration.
Oh, yeah, and I forgot a big one: Directly challenge and fight the unconstitutional rule of the liberal activist judiciary!!
” What’s really scary is that Newt said he’s decided to stay in after SC even if he loses. So what the hell was he going to do? “ <<<<
I believe that remark was code for two things; 1.) for us to do the damn math; 2.) clear the brush out of my path and I can take this guy out in South Carolina, and still have some money to at least cross the border into Florida, and try to retake my lead there. Otherwise, “congratulations folks, meet your nominee, Romney.”
Well, there’re other options...snapping the magic underwear (yuck!), forcibly injecting a personality.....
“And then Rubio for VP”
This is a merry-go-round. Is Rubio a natural born citizen?
Exactly! If Santorum or Perry could drop out and work with Newt then we would would have the best candidate with Newt. With the support and endorsements of either Santorum or Perry then Newt would clobber mittens and go on to clobber the Marxist!
If Santorum does poorly in SC then he should drop out and support Gingrich. There is still time(and hopefully money) for Newt. Reagan lost seven of the first nine primaries in 1976 against Ford. He almost won the nomination that year.
LOL!
“Fun with Mittens”....LOL
Ahem, South Carolina doesn't border Floriduh. He could cross the border to Mississippi, though!
Santorum in Iowa was gifted by the $3 million dollar take down of Gingrich by the Romney machine. Rick Perry was already on “implode” going in, and coming out quit following the count. The delegates are uncomitted in Iowa but yes Santorum got a free ride and his 2, or 4 delegates in Iowa, out of roughly, 1500. Now it’s over and at best even with the wind at his back, he’s at 16 in SC. And even THAT couldn’t have factored in the blow back from last night’s debate, where afterwards in the Spin Room even Rick Santorum knew who won the day and had moved the meter. It was not him. It was Newt.
I don't see that happening with Bolton endorsing Mittens, FRiend.
“One of the criticisms I make is to what I refer to as more of a libertarianish right. You know, the left has gone so far left and the right in some respects has gone so far right that they touch each other. They come around in the circle. This whole idea of personal autonomy, well I don’t think most conservatives hold that point of view. Some do. They have this idea that people should be left alone, be able to do whatever they want to do, government should keep our taxes down and keep our regulations low, that we shouldn’t get involved in the bedroom, we shouldn’t get involved in cultural issues. You know, people should do whatever they want. Well, that is not how traditional conservatives view the world and I think most conservatives understand that individuals can’t go it alone. That there is no such society that I am aware of, where we’ve had radical individualism and that it succeeds as a culture.”Source: http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/rick-santorum-v-limited-government/
You're right. I'm tired of the manipulation. Governor Perry is reasonable and will do what needs to be done if and when it needs to be done. There is no reason to hop to it. It benefits no one. He's not doing any harm at all. Ron Paul is an obstacle. THE obstacle. Santorum has ego problems and is an obstacle. I like having the comfort of Governor Perry being in the race. It reminds me of a time in America when qualifications mattered. If anyone is leaning toward Santorum, he will be eaten alive and he'll whine his way through all of it. People keep talking about the VP slot going to Jindal or Rubio. Do we need to talk about it? Are they natural born citizens or not? OR doesn't that matter anymore either. So we have Newt. He's been impressive but he can't jump someone as unpopular as Romney? And people think other candidate's supporters are going to fall in line to vote for Newt? Kind of like Cain supporters vowing they wouldn't vote for anyone but Cain? Somebody somewhere is licking his chops....especially this early in the game with no distractions. Newt will give it his best and he will be a Conservative’s Conservative. He's being referred to as a “professor” who gives lectures. The image is wrong. The whole country has forgotten what he was able to pull off a long time ago. They need to be reeducated in a very short time and they've got to stop saying “Newt and Marianne.” Yes. A private life matters. I won't offer a list. Also, we are totally washed up if the only thing we have to offer a leader like Governor Perry is an invitation to jettison the race. This is Ronald Reagan all over again. I'm grateful we have this opportunity to discuss this in a civilized manner. I'd like to hear what other Perry supporters are thinking and what South Carolina really means in the long run.
What’s to explain? Any Christian conservative understands exactly what he is saying, and agrees.
Only radical libertarians, who conflate “personal freedom” with radical licentiousness, have a problem understanding or accepting what he said here.
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