Romney's Image Improves; Palin Well Regarded by Republican Base

Pew Research Center ^ | June 24, 2009 | Pew Research

[GOPGuide]

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has seen his favorability ratings improve and now enjoys a positive balance of opinion among the general public: 40% rate him favorably, 28% unfavorably. This marks a reversal of opinion from February 2008, during the latter stages of the GOP primary campaign, when just 30% viewed him favorably and 44% expressed an unfavorable opinion.

The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted June 10-14 among 1,502 adults reached on landlines and cell phones, finds that impressions of Sarah Palin have not changed much since the presidential campaign. Palin continues to be a divisive figure among the general public, with about as many saying they have an unfavorable impression (44%) as a favorable view (45%) of the Alaska governor.

Among Republicans, however, the balance of opinion about Palin is more positive than it is regarding Romney or other leading GOP figures, Newt Gingrich and Michael Steele. More than seven-in-ten Republicans (73%) express a favorable opinion of Palin while just 17% have an unfavorable opinion. Romney, Gingrich and especially Steele are less familiar figures – among the public overall and Republicans – than is Palin. While comparable percentages of Republicans rate Palin and the other Republicans unfavorably, far more view Palin favorably. And Palin continues to be overwhelmingly popular with key parts of the GOP base – white evangelical Republicans (84% favorable) and conservative Republicans (80% favorable).

Romney’s Image Improves Since February 2008, shortly before he abandoned his race for the GOP presidential nomination, opinion of Romney has improved across most political and demographic groups, but the shift has been particularly pronounced among independents. In February 2008, just 29% of independents had a positive impression of Romney while 46% had a negative view. Today, that balance is reversed: 44% view Romney favorably and 25% unfavorably.

Positive opinions among both Democrats and Republicans have increased by eight points since early 2008. Among Republicans, Romney has made identical nine-point gains in favorability among conservative Republicans and moderate and liberal Republicans; currently, 61% of conservative Republicans and 52% of moderate and liberal members of the GOP express positive opinions of Romney.

Romney’s favorable ratings have not changed significantly among white non-Hispanic evangelical Republicans; 54% have a favorable opinion now, compared with 52% in February 2008. Among all other Republicans, by contrast, positive opinions of Romney have increased by 11 points, while negative opinions have fallen considerably (from 31% to 16%).

Sarah Palin Favorability Almost a year after capturing the attention of the political world as John McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin remains a broadly popular figure within the Republican Party, despite receiving mixed reviews from the public as a whole.

Palin received her highest overall favorability rating of 50% in mid-September 2008, shortly after McCain named her as his vice-presidential running mate. At that time just 34% expressed an unfavorable opinion of the Alaska governor, while 16% offered no opinion. But her favorability slipped later in the campaign. In mid-October, more people expressed an unfavorable opinion of Palin (48%) than a favorable opinion (42%). Since the election, public views of Palin have shifted only slightly.

Unlike Romney, Palin’s ratings continue to be much better among conservative Republicans (80%) than among moderates and liberals in the party (62%). And while positive views of Palin have slipped among non-evangelical Republicans (from 77% to 67%), they remain overwhelmingly positive among white evangelical Republicans (84% now, 85% last October).

Notably, as was the case during the election, Palin is rated somewhat better by men than she is by women. About half of men (48%) say their overall opinion of Palin is favorable, while 40% say it is unfavorable. Among women, the picture is reversed: 48% offer an unfavorable view, 41% a favorable one. This difference largely arises from gender differences in party affiliation. For instance, among Republicans, men and women express similar views of Palin (73% favorable).

Palin receives a more favorable rating from those with a high school degree or less (48% favorable, 36% unfavorable) than she does from college graduates (41% favorable, 52% unfavorable). Regionally, she is somewhat better regarded in the South (49% favorable) than she is in the Northeast (39% favorable).

snip

[definitelynotaliberal]

Well said. Kudos.

[definitelynotaliberal]

ping

Thoughts?

[techno]

For true conservatives who wished they had a true conservative to vote for in 2012, and if Sarah Palin runs, you cannot say that you did not have a conservative to vote for during the 2012 primaries.

You may think that Sarah may lack experience or is not up to the job of POTUS-fair ball, but you cannot reject her because she is a Reagan conservative. That would be intellectually dishonest.

[Blackacre]

I’m not really concerned about Palin or any other GOP candidate at this point. Frankly, I haven’t picked who I’m going to vote for in the 2012 primary. I missed out on the chance to vote last time since the result was pretty much decided by the time the Mid-Atlantic Primary rolled around.

[the long march]

You must either 12 years old or woefully uneducated about Ronald Reagan’s political history.

[Blackacre]

After he left office, Ronald Reagan spent several years touring the country talking about various issues, including foreign policy. This showed that he was a serious thinker and intellect.

Palin is taking a similar approach to establish her foreign polic bona fides.

[definitelynotaliberal]

Oh, believe me! I take a back seat to NO ONE in supporting Sarah Palin in ‘12 or ‘16. I am not in the camp of those who believe her to have had an insufficiency of experience. I desperately HOPE that she runs in ‘12, but as a woman, and recognizing her as a woman who loves her God, her children (note the necklace she always has on that has 5 discs on it) and her husband, I can understand why she might not be interested in ‘12.

I hope I’m wrong. I hope she runs even if it means that I will be voiceless by the time election day rolls around.

Go, Gov. Palin!

[DB9]

Romney is a clown. Governor Palin has my vote!

[Elsie]

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has seen his favorability ratings improve...

I guess the re-packaging worked!

[Elsie]

Let the Romney-bashing begin!Who is PEW?

And why should a POLL by them matter?

[Elsie]

Palin continues to be a divisive figure among the general public, ...

Give the media a couple more years and Quayle will be perceived as a better pick than Palin...

[Elsie]

Until we find a way to counter the media, we won’t be winning another Presidential race again.

Buy it!

[techno]

That is why John Ziegler produced the documentary Media Malpractice to alert the American people to what the American MSM is capable of so it will not happen again in 2012. If there is one thing that I am dead sure of the conservative base will not allow Sarah Palin to be marginalized by the MSM and the entertainment industry as she was in 2008 without McCain fighting back. In 2012 if Palin is the nominee the base will fight back tooth and nail. You betcha!

[Diogenesis]

Let's let Carpetbagger Romney do for the national GOP
exactly what he did in Massachusetts (from where he has fled).

“The Massachusetts Republican Party died last Tuesday.
The cause of death: failed leadership.
The party is survived by a few leftover legislators
and a handful of county officials and grassroots activists
who have been ignored for years.
Services will be public and a mass exodus of taxpayers will follow.
In lieu of flowers, send messages to Republican voters
warning them about a certain presidential candidate named Romney.”
- Boston Herald, 11/12/2006

---

"In 2006, while Romney was chairman of the National Republican
Governors Association - a group dedicated to electing more
Republican governors - his own hand-picked Republican successor
as governor lost badly to the Democrat, despite the fact that Republicans
have held the governorship in Massachusetts since 1990. Romney largely
ignored the Massachusetts elections and spent most of the time
during the campaign out of state building his presidential campaign.
He came back and publicly campaigned for the Republican candidate
the day before the general election!
“Locally, this is a rebuke to Mitt Romney and checking out within six months
after being elected and having accomplished almost nothing,”
[Jim] Rappaport [former chairman of the state Republican Party]."
- Boston Globe, 11/8/2006

[TChris]

I find it interesting that far-left MSM outlets like the Boston Glob are magically transformed into reliable, truthful publications when the topic is Mitt Romney.

[Texas resident]

That cartoon speaks volumes.

[techno]

from Finalapproach29er on another thread:

“God is parting the waters for Palin.”

(regarding the Mark Sanford episode)

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has seen his favorability ratings improve and now enjoys a positive balance of opinion among the general public

Stand a socialist next to a communist and the socialist looks pretty conservative...

[FastCoyote]

Take the fleas of a dog that won’t hunt and you get a dog that won’t hunt. Go away Romneybot and take Romneycare with you.