Posted on 03/19/2012 3:38:09 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney may lead in delegates and Rick Santorum might have momentum, but neither of the two leading Republican presidential candidates is having an easy time exciting even his own voters.
Out of a dozen states where voters in the GOP contest have been polled, most Romney voters have said they strongly favor him in just five of them. A majority of Santorum voters felt that committed to him only four times out of 11 states where he was on the ballot and voters were surveyed.
Each man is struggling to consistently spark the intensity that could separate him from the pack.
Consider that Arizona is the only state where Romney had a higher proportion of voters expressing strong feelings about him than his rivals did. And Santorum hasn't had that edge in any state yet, despite an animated campaign style and passion for hot-button social issues like contraception that have contrasted with Romney's stiffer, more analytic manner.
On average, 50 percent of Romney voters and 49 percent of Santorum's say they strongly favor their candidate, with the rest expressing reservations about their man or a greater dislike for his rivals, according to entrance and exit polls of voters in 12 states.
When it comes to winning fervent devotion from his own supporters, both men trail former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Rep. Ron Paul. Those two GOP presidential campaigns are lagging but 58 percent of Gingrich's backers and 53 percent of Paul's, on average, say they strongly favor their candidate. Analysts say higher percentages of devoted supporters are common with candidates whose lesser backing leaves them with only the most committed followers...........
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Rick Santorum is on Fox - talking about his campaign and hisself.
Nothing about ideas - solutions - policies or past experience.
Rick still has a chance while Newt is finished finished finished.
So who do YOU want? Mitt?
The GOP-e will be running the convention in Tampa—do you think they are going to let their golden Boy Mitt lose?
Only Santorum can save us and Newt is in the way!
Depressing ain’t it?
If I had been asked that question I'm not sure I would have said I strongly favor Santorum. Much would have depended on the exact wording. I have concerns about Santorum, but the same is true of the entire Republican field, and I would almost certainly vote for Gingrich if he were to become the nominee.
What **IS** interesting about the poll is the fervent dedication by Gingrich supporters compared to Ron Paul supporters. I'm very surprised by that. Either lots of Paulbots are having second thoughts (good!) or Newt Gingrich has managed to generate more enthusiasm among his people than Ron Paul, which is wonderful if true.
“On average, 50 percent of Romney voters and 49 percent of Santorum’s say they strongly favor their candidate... 58 percent of Gingrich's backers and 53 percent of Paul's, on average, say they strongly favor their candidate. Analysts say higher percentages of devoted supporters are common with candidates whose lesser backing leaves them with only the most committed followers.”
It was an interview conducted by Kilmeade and some lady host.
Santorum was asked questions and he answered them.
He wasn’t asked to be on to do a policy speech in a 2 minute session.
Anything you can manufacture is what many of you do just to have a reason to criticize Santorum.
Geesh
I hate to do it but......to quote Biden (from more than a few years ago when he was lecturing Condi Rice):
Bingo. Period. Dot.
We’ll get Romney in a brokered convention
I don’t think we will have a brokered convention. I believe it is all noise to keep the remaining vote between Santorum and Gingrich split by the dream of a brokered convention.
A convention where the dream candidate will be installed as the nominee.
Romney is already halfway there. It may be June, but he will likely pick up enough delegates.
I hope I am wrong, but wishing doesn’t make it so either.
See this thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2860907/posts
Starting at 3:20, I've paraphrased, since I'm doing this mobile on a bus. mostly quoted (removed the "uhs" and "you knows").
Republicans, to our credit, have sort of morphed away from the Goldwater idea, you know, that the government needs to be smaller, needs to do less, it needs to be doing nothing except what it's core functions are, to a party that says we need to restructure the way we do programs to create the kind of incentives, help and programs that gives that authority to solve these problems to folks closer to these people, the family or individual themselves.
Replacing a would be dictator with a lacklustre opponent isn’t going to be easy.
Romney-the Repoublican leadership pick is about as exciting as watching grass grow, Santorum isn’t much better , and the real candidate who might be able to actually save the Constitution is hated by most Republicans.
Newt is the only one with any chance of beating Obama, and he cannot beat his two opponents.
You saw the same thing I did. I know that the GOP-e saw it too.
That’s the spirit! /half joking
I don’t understand this type of article. OBAMA HAS ALREADY INSPIRED ME TO THE MAX! NO Republican candidate can do anything to get me more inspired to vote Obama out of office.
“The conservative vote won’t be split in Nov if Rick is the candidate”
I am no more excited about Rick than I am Mitt and, yes, I am conservative. I just don’t believe either of them are.
GO NEWT!
My large family in CA can’t wait to vote for him!
Everyone except the GOP establishment could have seen this coming. The establishment cleared the decks of legitimate candidates because they deemed Mitt to be their boy. The rest was very predictable. They pumped up another RINO. However, this one is so odious and so blatant about his prgressive instincts that ther base is openly rejecting him. The establishment, and Mitt, assumed it would be easier and that the mouth-breathers in the base would just fall in line behind him.
That arrogance alone guarantees I will never vote for Romney.
58%’s ping :) GO NEWT!
‘Good morning! It seems the Romney/Santorum voters are experiencing a bit of indigestion after voting for the inevitable and the non-Romney who isnt viable unless the path is cleared for him.’
I’ve changed my view on Newt remaining in the race, given a recent poll that showed Santorum and Romney splitting his supporters more or less evenly. That would mean an easy Romney victory - and that is to be avoided at all costs!
As for Santorum “not being viable unless the path is cleared for him”, that criticism would go double for Gingrich, wouldn’t it? lol
“Newt is the firewall keeping the Establishment from rolling over us before the convention. And the GOP-e knows it. Time to fan the rise of Gingrich and a conservative uprising.”
I’m afraid you’re dreaming here. Newt had his chance, and blew it. Further, if he somehow did land the nomination, in my view he’d get creamed in the general. Even his performance among the “faithful” (Republicans) has been pretty abysmal.
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