Posted on 09/22/2010 1:31:15 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Here are two more data points from the weekend to back up my argument that the 2012 Republican nomination is not Sarah Palin’s to lose. First, the Values Voter Summit straw poll, a decent gauge of sentiment among the kind of activists Palin would presumably need to rally, in which the former Alaska governor racked up just 7 percent of the vote, trailing Mike Pence (who gave a barn-burner of a speech), Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. Second, a new 2012 poll from Public Policy Polling, showing Romney leading with 22 percent, followed by Huckabee at 21, Gingrich at 18, and Palin at 17 percent. And note this statistic:
As is the case every month Sarah Palin is the most personally popular of the Republicans, with 66 percent viewing her favorably. She is followed by Huckabee at 60 percent and Gingrich and Romney at 57 percent.
The problem for Palin is that a smaller percentage of the people who like her personally support her for President than any of the other Republicans. 37 percent of the voters who like Romney also say he’s their choice for the 2012 nomination and the same is true for 32 percent who like Gingrich and Huckabee. But just 24 percent who see Palin positively on a personal level translate that to intent to vote for her. [emphasis mine — R.D.]
About a month ago, I wrote a column arguing that the most interesting pre-primary contest in the G.O.P. was arguably the battle to see if somebody (a Mitch Daniels? a Jon Thune? a Haley Barbour? a Tim Pawlenty?) would manage to unseat Romney from his perch as the safe, competent-seeming, establishment-y candidate...
(Excerpt) Read more at douthat.blogs.nytimes.com ...
Celebrity? Novelty? Get real. Sarah Palin is in their heads. She is impacting elections around the country like no other single person.
In a way, I think it’s good that they pick on Sarah...They waste a lot of energy on her. It leaks out all their arguments. It leaks out all their strategery...
It will be funny to me, and I hope - with all due respect - to Sarah Palin too - that she is laughing on the sidelines when these people are still hyperventilating and hurling epithets at her (and GW) when she isn’t even running - and the conservative candidate wins.
No disprespect for Sarah. She has done a lot for the cause...
Just love the idea of them wasting their energy on her - like a tar-baby...when the real threat to democrats and liberals is their own ideas.
I beat you to it by a minute. But you provided the link. Bonus points :)
Wow, you may be right. I hadn’t thought of the “woman in power” angle. Makes sense!
The Left hates her, because she isn’t Ivy League-educated and tells the truth and hates Marxism.
Go Sarah!
Huckabee is a likable person.
The Tea Party Movement doesn’t have leaders, so Gov. Palin naturally can’t be one, and neither can you or I.
The Tea Party Starfish
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2590334/posts
Leftists are nothing if not predictable. You’ll never see them attack the likes of Juan McCain, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Lindsey Grahamnesty or other dependable, RINO sell-outs. These are the best republican friends a liberal could have! But Sarah Palin....now THERE is a creature who MUST be destroyed as quickly and completely as possible. She represents a TRUE threat to the leftist agenda and these lefty political pundits reveal that fact with every article they write.
You don't like it, but it's true.
Sarah Palin is in their heads. She is impacting elections around the country like no other single person.
Two points there.
First, the "not a front-runner" tag applies to her chances as a presidential candidate. She's not polling as high as others in that regard, nor has she done well in the straw polls that have recently started (they are pretty worthless, I'll admit).
As to "impacting elections," I will grant that she's had an effect on party primaries. Whether that carries through to the general election remains to be seen.
What appeals to the party faithful does not necessarily appeal to those who are not registered as Republicans. It's possible that a Palin endorsement could be unhelpful in the general election.
Sarah Palin wins 2012 Right Nation poll: Chicago rising
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2593517/posts
fwiw, I don't think straw polls are worth a damn, especially this far out. Nevertheless, if one really wants to use them to judge the current "front-runner" status of various prospective presidential candidates, Sarah Palin is not the front-runner.
April 2010 straw polls in states without early primaries? Why not link to 2008 straw polls while you’re at it? She won’t even show up in those...
I read it and laughed. So very odd that they’ve got everyone in there except Sarah. Read that page of polls. Pence, Romney... hilarious.
Whatever. You’re a true believer — nothing will change your mind in any case.
Read a few of the stories. She was there, she just didn't finish first. Hence, the "not a front-runner" tag.
As is the case every month Sarah Palin is the most personally popular of the Republicans, with 66 percent viewing her favorably. She is followed by Huckabee at 60 percent and Gingrich and Romney at 57 percent.The problem for Palin is that a smaller percentage of the people who like her personally support her for President than any of the other Republicans. 37 percent of the voters who like Romney also say he’s their choice for the 2012 nomination and the same is true for 32 percent who like Gingrich and Huckabee. But just 24 percent who see Palin positively on a personal level translate that to intent to vote for her.
All that can change, of course .... but right now you're edging toward unicorns and skittles territory.
And you’re a member of the PDS Posse and nothing will change that, it seems. Know this: If Governors Romney or Huckabee are the nominee, don’t look for me here anymore. I have a Galt’s Gulch.
I considered the sources. I know she was there. I just find it interesting...very interesting. Liberals telling us who we should elect again.
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