Posted on 05/04/2012 2:56:52 AM PDT by Libloather
GOP voters want Santorum, Rubio for VP
By Jonathan Easley - 05/03/12 04:32 PM ET
Republican voters would like to see Rick Santorum or Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) standing at Mitt Romney's side this fall, a new poll found.
A Reuters-Ipsos poll released Thursday found Santorum and Rubio are the top choices among Republican voters to be Romneys running mate.
Republican voters were presented with a list of 19 names, and a plurality, 18 percent, said Rick Santorum would be the best candidate to fill out the GOP ticket, while 17 percent went for Rubio.
Rubio was by far the most popular candidate with Tea Party supporters, and the only potential vice presidential pick to pull more than 20 percent with any of the groups represented in the poll.
In addition to being from a swing state with a large delegate prize, Romney might find Rubios Tea Party support appealing as a running mate, since he has struggled to win over some conservatives. Santorum came in second among Tea Party supporters with 16 percent.
But if Romney hopes to appeal to independents, Rubio performs dismally, pulling only 4 percent of their support. Santorum led among independents at 16 percent, and was followed closely by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R).
Christie and Bush tied for third among Republicans in the poll, each pulling 13 percent, with former Arkansas Gov. and GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee taking 12 percent.
A number of potential VP picks who seemed to be gaining momentum recently barely registered in the poll.
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the author of the House Republican budget, campaigned with Romney in his home state last week but logged only 4 percent in the Reuters-Ipsos poll. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, who appeared with Romney at a campaign stop in his home state on Thursday, didnt even register in the poll.
Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, who many believe to be the safest pick, and therefore the likeliest, also failed to register in the poll, finishing behind Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
The Reuters-Ipsos poll of 579 Republicans has a 4.7 percent margin of error, the poll of 308 independents has a 6.5 percent margin of error, and the poll of 317 Tea Party supporters has a 6.4 percent margin of error.
Rubio is not a natural born citizen.
His parents were not American citizen at the time of his birth.
It is becoming tiresome.
I’m so tired of crappioli like yours.
Tough noogies. Facts is facts and I’m not going to lie like a liberal to make you happy.
I don’t get this, Leni. He’s giving his opinion. Freepers are leaving in droves? A more likely reason might be the name calling and vicious attacks on candidates’s character(see Rick Santorum)that has been allowed to take place on this site without sanction.
Thats all we need a pro-amnestry VP like Rubio to go with a our pro-Planned Parenthood, pro-gun control, pro-mandate, pro-socialized healthcare nominee.
That’s a DREAM ticket.
People should direct their anger at the GOP and ask why they so desperately manipulated Mitt Romney into the nomination when the man is clearly a liberal. The democrats themselves couldn’t have nominated a better man to run against.
The GOP manipulations and Romney’s arrogant insults have cost them millions of voters.
However, unless you are cashing a SCOTUS paycheck and have 4 other Justices with you, I am inclined to hold off on your POV.
.... seeking and soon to receive their status as naturalized U.S. citizens.
Which is, IMNSVHO, a nice way of saying they were still under the jurisdiction of Cuba, whence they were refugees. They chose us. We had not quite gotten around to choosing them. Furthermore, we have no indication that they ever became naturalized citizens.
Do you not agree that this issue which divides us ought to be decided by the SCOTUS? After all, it is THEIR job, not ours.
NOBODY wants that idiot Santorum as the VP pick!
Rubio would be one of the best possible picks though.
Hope to see you in court, where the NBC issue ought to be heard on its merits, not for purposes of jurisdictional dismissal- ping?
Rubio, I’d support... Santorum I would have back when the primaries started, but after his behavior and actions through them, no way in hell would I now.
I do agree VP is about the talent level the guy is, but after watching him ensure the Romney nomiation, him added to the ticket will make an already vomit inducing vote, become a flat out ebola vote.
“To say that Rubio, Jindal, and Haley are forever barred because of a strained interpretation of the Constitution’s eligibility clause would condemn conservatism to minority status for the foreseeable future. Surely, that is not what we want.”
Making conservatives sound like bitter crackers - is that what you want?
ALAN WEST - Conservative, tough, smart, Dem establishment fears him, military experience ... and, for those who give a shiite, he's black.
Anyone else getting that Twilight Zone feeling more and more these days?
Actually, if Romney carries FL but loses in OH he is very unlikely to get to 270, and Romney has a better chance of carrying FL than OH, so I would posit that whoever carries OH wins the election.
I think that a Romney-Portman ticket carries FL and OH, while a Romney-Rubio ticket carries FL but perhaps not OH. Rob Portman would also be more helpful than Rubio in states like PA and MI due to his appeal among blue-collar Midwesterns, and would be more helpful than Rubio in attracting Evangelical voters (from whom we need a large turnout despite their apprehensions about Romney) in VA, NC and elsewhere because he’s a Methodist (as opposed to a Mormon like Romney, or a Catholic like Rubio).
Rubio would be a bit more helpful than Portman in NV, CO and NM, but those states are less likely to be carried by Romney even with Rubio on the ticket, and he would need to carry all three in order to make up for losing OH.
The likeliest route to 270 for Romney is the 22 McCain states + the Omaha CD + IN + NC + VA + FL + OH + one more state (most likely NH). I think he’s far likelier to get there with Portman than with Rubio.
When I first saw a speech by Rubio in 2008, I told people that he would be on a presidential ticket someday. But I think that 2020 will be his year (and for president, not VP).
You are in for a sad suprise at the number of Freepers who think Rubio and Jindal are natural born. They reflect the same percentage of the rest of the US population.
Fortunately for all of us it will likely be Rob Portman. Mitt is no risk taker and Ohio is a must win state.
Sad? Yes. Surprised? No.
I consider a case unconsidered unsettled. All I ask (All the guy asks!) is that the SCOTUS hear an appeal that reaches its august bench.
If I (You, and Leo Donofrio) am wrong about this NBC issue, I do not want the opinion of my pals at the VFW Bar (or the Elks, for that matter) Let me hear it from the Big Court.
What makes you say Rubio isn’t an NBC?
” Thats all we need a pro-amnestry VP like Rubio to go with a our pro-Planned Parenthood, pro-gun control, pro-mandate, pro-socialized healthcare nominee.
Thats a DREAM ticket.”
DREAM.....yeah..
I think Marco Rubio would be an instantaneous hit...he looks great...he speaks well...he’s Hispanic...he looks great....okay, I said that twice...
I notice the author felt compelled to put an (R) after Jebbie’s name. Is that because he is so “democratic” on many issues?
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