New Poll Shows that Perry’s Entrance Scrambled GOP Race (Perry leading in Iowa)

A new poll by Public Policy Polling puts Texas Gov. Rick Perry in the front of the GOP presidential field in Iowa and shows just how much Perry’s entrance into the race scrambled the contest for the Republican nomination.

The poll, released Tuesday (.pdf), shows that 21% of the poll respondents would support Perry in the Iowa caucuses next February, outpacing the two other Republican frontrunners Michele Bachmann and Mitt Romney. Romney’s campaign has been focusing on New Hampshire, a state that is considered a must win for his campaign.

If the contest were simplified to a three-way race between Bachmann, Romney and Perry – Perry would be supported by 34 percent of respondents as opposed to just 28% for Romney and 24% for Bachmann.

Oh, it’s not that he looks 17. It’s that he just doesn’t yet have enough federal experience. He was elected to his first 6 year term just last year. He’s a potentially superior candidate. And has plenty of time to prepare for that eventuality.

People rail against Washington, but the fact remains that someone, either VP or POTUS candidate, has to know exactly how Washington works from the inside, either having served in the Congress or in a high Administration role; otherwise, that Administration is DOA.

The govs have the necessary executive experience, but of those mentioned, only Daniels has both. If he wasn’t willing to run for POTUS for personal reasons, and having seen the way the last GOP VP candidate was treated (more importantly, his WIFE having seen how the last candidate was treated), I don’t see him accepting if offered.

Bolton is an interesting choice, but I don’t see any of the viable candidates for the top office picking someone who’s such a lightning rod. Both Perry and Palin seem to be filling that role, and would need the offset of someone who the vast middle would find ‘comforting.’

I can’t think of a ticket that’s run in either party where one of the candidates didn’t have extensive experience in DC. Every presidential candidate who was a governor chose an ‘insider.’ Right now the top contenders for the GOP (declared or not) are from the governor ranks. Reagan had GWHG, Carter had Mondale; Clinton chose Gore; GWB had Cheney. Even Obama recognized that his 2 years in the Senate didn’t qualify and chose Biden (don’t laugh).

Lol, a troll never would have taken the time to explain himself so well, and I have to say, I think that I explained myself so well, is part of the reason for the anger.

However, I'm going to try again, and give you a long one, cuz I am new. And new people should work a little harder. If you make fun of, or ignore it, that's your choice, and w/ an Internet the size of the universe, who could blame you?

Btw, even though I'm new, I'm not that new. Certainly before Perry and before the field started to coalesce. April at least.

And for the record, it's not like Perry is my blood brother. I just think he is as likely of anyone other than maybe Bachmann, of giving me states rights SCOTUS Justices; and I'm absolutely positive he's the most likely of the candidates declared to be able to beat the President.

I also think he's the one, other than Bachmann & Paul, most likely to use the veto pen, to cut the budget or do other things.

To be honest, of them all, Ron Paul would be my guy. I understand most people here think that's dummy stuff, and even I admit he can't win the R nomination, let alone the general.

I kind of hoped maybe he could, but when he said we might “legalize heroin”, the dream blew away like heroin smoke. It doesn't even matter how you feel on the issue, this isn't a con law class, it's a pres campaign. You've got to stay focused, and he couldn't/wouldn't.

So I think Rep. Bachmann might be able to beat the President, and I like how she wouldn't raise the debt ceiling, but I also like Gov Perry's states’ rights stuff, and I know, not think, he can win.

But look, one of you is called “South”, so if you're TX guys, and have had bad experiences w/ him (many in TX seem to have), I respect that, but I've got to think national. Obama has to go. Perry is the most likely to make him go.

I probably shouldn't admit this, but beating Obama is by so far my highest criteria that I'd probably make my 1st choice anyone who could, out of the pack, other than Huntsman. And that's only cuz it's so clear Huntsman wouldn't even try to cut the deficit a little, or give me my conservative Justices.

So maybe you are morally superior to me, cuz you won't accept second best. Whatever, you were the trolls who called me a troll, trolling my well-reasoned comment.

And I was sport enough to spend time writing another (really) long one, cuz I'm (somewhat) new, and if I'm not liked, I at least want the things I actually mean to be the things not liked.

Hello trickamsterdam. I am from the south and I have lived in Texas, though not during the Perry years..

You said you were, “absolutely positive he [Perry] is the most likely of the candidates declared to be able to beat the President”.

If you can predict the future as well as you claim you can should be in Vegas. All kidding aside, you are not 'absolutely positive' Perry can beat Obama you just think he can.

I understand your sentiments about wanting to ensure we have a candidate who can beat Obama but we are 15 months from the election and anything can happen in that time. Just look what has happened to the stock market in the past month. Obama is vulnerable, so can he be beaten? While I am not ‘absolutely positive’ I believe he can. And I believe he can be beaten by just about any conservative candidate. So there is, at this point in time, no point or sense in supporting a candidate like Rick Perry. We, as conservatives, should hope for and hold out for a real conservative, one who does not want open borders, one who does not want to give instate tuition to ILLEGALS and one who will not, due to his very questionable past, be the next Juan McCain who instills little to no enthusiasm amongst conservatives.

I don’t dislike you, I don’t even know you and I do not fancy myself morally superior to you. But when it comes to Rick Perry I have done my homework. Perry is not the conservative his supporters try to make him out to be. I have posted his very questionable record in many threads. And yes, I call him a RINO because that is what I believe he is. I voted for a RINO in 2008 and I don’t want or intend to do that again. Here is why.

I currently live in East San Diego County. Not a week goes by that I don't go out to find my water hose running having been left running by ILLEGALs filling their water jugs. They pick fruit from my trees and steal the eggs from my chicken coop. Hell, they've even stolen my chickens. They have broken into and slept in my garage, workshop, storage shed and barn and they've tried hot wiring my vehicles. A time was when they would run when spotted but that is no more. They have grown bolder and more dangerous. I hate leaving the home empty when I travel or worse, leaving my wife here alone. So I hire someone to house sit my house or we have someone stay with Mrs. 4 when I am away. My congressman is Duncan Hunter. He is a staunch conservative who knows and understands the needs of people like me. What I don't have but need is a president who will take real steps to secure our southern border. I refuse to support any candidate who I think will not provide me the security I both desire and need. As I said above we have 15 months left in this race. We need a conservative in the White House and that man is not Mr. Open Borders Rick Perry.

Thanks for listening.

Thanks for your detailed and honest and thoughtful response.

First, I should just say again, I'm not a Perry fanatic. I suspect he will be like a Republican Bill Clinton, meaning Rs will see him like Ds see Bill (frustrating, successful, great on some issues, bad on others, ultimately a positive).

I am not telling anyone they “have” to vote for him. I will leave myself if someone (IMO) better comes along. Like I said, Ron Paul would be my first choice, if I thought he was at all electable (although I know most here don't agree or like him).

It's hard to know what to say about your personal situation w/ the border, other than that instead of spending billions on Libya, we should concentrate on the quasi-failed state on our own border. I have a feeling that would cut down on illegals fleeing.

A real immigration policy is difficult for either party, because as long as there are 41 liberals or conservatives in the Senate, they can filibuster either side.

I don't have any other solutions, other than we should be spending more to protect our border, than S. Korea's.

To sum up, I have no problem w/ anyone supporting anyone, and letting this thing play out. I have a problem w/ Palin or Bachmann supporters calling Perry supporters names, because I don't think we do that to them.

It's their right, but I would say it doesn't win over too many. It's sort of like being talked down to by the MSM. You don't even listen, you just get your back up, after a while.

As far as where I said I was “positive” he was the best to beat Obama, I just meant in my own head (like a person would say “I'm positive Andrew Jackson is my favorite President”), not because it's a law of nature. But in your own head, you've decided. In other words, it's an opinion, but for me a deciding one.

In closing, I hope your own situation improves. I feel the key is helping Mexico exterminate the Drug Cartels, but it doesn't seem to be on anyone’s platform, even as a secondary issue.

Take care,

Sean (trickamsterdam)

Hello again Sean. Firstly, I guess since you are posting you are safe from Irene. That is good news. Hopefully it has passed you and you will remain safe.

Thank you for your response. You said, “I don't have any other solutions, other than we should be spending more to protect our border, than S. Korea's.” I couldn’t agree more. But as we know the left would never allow that to happen because they love ILLEGAL aliens and want to make voters of them. That’s where I have a problem with Perry. He loves them too and that’s not a conservative position. Nor is it conducive to lowering the number of ILLEGALs who have entered his state. As a matter of fact, it does just the opposite. The number of ILLEGALs in Texas has risen during his tenure. You can read about that at these links:

Number of illegal immigrants getting in-state tuition for Texas colleges rises

More illegal immigrants finding way to Texas

Bush pushed for amnesty and their numbers grew as they wanted to be here to get in on that amnesty. Thankfully, it never happened – not yet anyway. Now we have a liberal Democrat president in Obama. Given that, Republicans in congress are less likely to go along with his ideas. But a pro-ILLEGAL alien Republican president, just as with Bush, puts us dangerously close to it becoming a reality.

As for the name calling I will say this; I, and many others here at FR, refuse to allow Perry and his pro-ILLEGAL agenda to enter the White House w/o us first doing everything we can to expose who and what Perry is. We post articles about his record, not speculation, not conjecture, but his actual record. And we have been attacked by Perry groupies who are not conservative and who do not care how liberal the man’s record is; they just want him in and are willing to attack all conservatives who oppose him. I believe many of them are former Giuliani groupies who like Perry because he and Giuliani are pals. I don’t know. But it is because we have the facts on the guy that raises their ire. Have I allowed them to drag me in the gutter with them? Yes I have. But when I did so it was in defense of the conservative ideal that I did and not, as in their case, because I was advocating for a candidate who does not represent conservatism, which is what this website is all about.

That I can have this dialog with you proves my point. You have listened and have not agreed. That’s fine. But you have not attacked me. Thus, I am treating you with the respect that you deserve. Those who advocate for Perry do not want dialog, certainly not in the form of debate, because if they get it they lose. So their plan is to attack us. So be it. This is nothing new; I’ve been around a long time and have seen such rancor displayed most every election cycle. But again, my argument is in defense of conservatism…theirs is in defense of a man who violates what this website is all about.

Thank you for your post and for your well wishes. We get along fine here out west, but we could use some help from the federal government in keeping Mexicans in Mexico and off of my property. Stay safe.

-SoFo

Sorry this took so long. Hope you and yours are still well.

Look, I can understand your ire. And in a sense, I can see your frustration. Even I feel it to a point, as a Perry supporter.

He’s not the conservative they claim. They just sense what I do, that he can beat Obama. Then they bend over backwards, to pretend he isn’t what he is (a political animal).

I do think he’ll be far better (yeah, it’s just a guess) on illegal immigration than you’d think. But it’s not that he’s such a great conservative. It’s that 1) he’ll have more power as President. But especially 2) it’ll be a lot easier for him politically as President than Governor (and he is a political animal).

As Governor, you’re sort of dealing w/ the Fed policy. And that’s a lot of illegals. He probably wanted to “work” w/ that, rather than try to guard a 1200 mile border w/ state funds. And not deal w/ a group of Hispanic voters much larger than the national average. But yeah, he’s not really committed to the law. Your instincts are correct.

Even I don’t like the idea of ending things so quickly, as far as the primaries. That whole thing about how you have to get everyone on board early is ridiculous (IMO). If he’s a good strategist & politician, let him handle all the challengers. We (I) would actually like to see that, to make sure he can handle Obama (strategically).

Look, I hope S. Palin gets in. And C. Christie. I wish Paul Ryan would have. Or anyone. I honestly don’t believe you can be much more conservative than Perry and win in a country our size, but I’m certainly willing to see.

I don’t know how you knew I lived on the East Coast, but Irene was OK where I am. But you know, I used to live in So Cal. That was about ten years ago, but it sounds like a real mess now.

The Mexicans I knew (I don’t know who was illegal and who wasn’t) were hard workers, but my impression is things in CA have just dropped off of a cliff. The economy was quite good when I was there.

I really just don’t know what to say about your situation. You’re really under siege, and it seems like you’re on your own (I’ve always lived in cities, basically).

I do think Perry will be better on the Border as President, but like I said, I think it will be because he needs Hispanic votes less. I can’t tell you to trust him when I don’t.

Btw, you didn’t enter the gutter. Calling someone a “RINO” isn’t the gutter. But it may turn off people (to your candidate) who wouldn’t touch Huntsman w/ a ten foot pole, but might vote for Perry.

-Sean (Tr.Am.)

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