National GOP Primary: Perry 28%, Romney 24%

Rasmussen Reports ^ | 9/21/11 | Scott Rasmussen

[CA Conservative]

As of now, the 2012 Republican Presidential Primary race is all about Texas Governor Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, with no other candidate reaching double-digit support. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely GOP Primary voters shows Perry with 28% support and Romney capturing 24%. Before Perry entered his first debate, the Texan held an eleven point advantage over Romney, 29% to 18%.

[CA Conservative]

Another poll shows the gap between Perry and Romney shrinking. However, like the other polls, it doesn't show Perry losing support - all of the recent polls have been consistent with Perry drawing between 28-31%. Rather, it shows Romney making significant gains, and most of his increase in support comes from - Michele Bachmann supporters! What do you make of that? Personally, I think a good part of it is because Michele has not attacked Romney while viciously attacking Perry, so her supporters, seeing that she is not a viable candidate, assume she would be supportive of Romney and move accordingly. She may not be a stalking horse for Romney as some have claimed, but she certainly seems to be helping him.

[CA Conservative]

ping

[DRey]

It is a sad situation when a so-called conservative attacks another to benefit Romney. I would prefer to see Perry with double digits over Romney, but in the end, Perry will still beat Romney.

[C. Edmund Wright]

>>> However, like the other polls, it doesn’t show Perry losing support >>>

Be careful how you interpret that. With Perry a newcomer, he should have gained support naturally based simply on name ID over this period. The fact that he did not go up means he probably did lose some of his existing support with that debate. The fact that Romney, who has been running for four years, suddenly went up, is very telling that the Bachmann attacks hurt Perry some and hurt her worse - and helped Mitt.

[shield]

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[Vigilanteman]

All of this will become meaningless once Sarah gets into the race. We need more than a choice between good hair RINO #1 and good hair RINO #2.

[Hodar]

BUMPITY-BUMP

[Magic Fingers]

What does anyone’s hair (including Palin’s) have to do with anything?

[tirednvirginia]

Bachmann die hard supporters angry that Perry stole a lot of her support when he came into the race.

They are also hoping Romney will pick her for VP.

[shield]

OH....Mittens by having Michelle Bachmann attack Perry...and trust me Mitten’s did ask Bachmann to do that...this is how he works...pretty much destroyed her, Mitten’s receiving a big part of her poll numbers. It may have hurt Perry...but Mitten’s took Bachmann out with the underhand move which is par for Mittens.

[PapaBear3625]

All of this will become meaningless once Sarah gets into the race. We need more than a choice between good hair RINO #1 and good hair RINO #2.

If she gets in, then we will see what her support numbers are. In the meanwhile, the declared candidates we have are the declared candidates we have.

[SumProVita]

Should we be concerned about OPEN primaries in some states?

From EHow:

States with Open Primaries

“Seventeen states use an open party primary system, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin. Of these states, Hawaii, Minnesota and North Dakota conduct open caucus elections”

[RockinRight]

It is weird that Bachmann supporters are flocking to Romney.

Perhaps instead of the anti-Romney vote, this is now about the anti-Perry vote.

[bereanway]

This is too bad. I wonder what Myth promised Bachmann for her to take on this role? She's been reduced to nothing more than an ankle biter. Bachmann and Santorum have become an embarrassment.

[C. Edmund Wright]

>>> OH....Mittens by having Michelle Bachmann attack Perry...and trust me Mitten’s did ask Bachmann to do that. >>>

I could believe the Romney camp would work that way - but I don’t think that’s how it happened in this case. Bachmann’s attack was too emotional and reactive to have been a planned coup. And I don’t think, with her momentum after second debate and Iowa straw poll, that she was giving up.

She was just frustrated that Perry swooped in and jumped way ahead of her in the polls and she just lost it. Now the effect was as you say, it helped Romney.

[tirednvirginia]

Sooner or later she will realize that she was used.

[C. Edmund Wright]

I don’t think they are flocking to Romney so much as they left MB and didn’t go to a weakened Perry - so for right now they just “parked” themselves in a safe front running spot while they re assess.

Time will tell.

[smoothsailing]

All of this will become meaningless once Sarah gets into the race.

Why would anyone take her seriously?

'Big Hair Alaska': Can Sarah Palin's Beauty Parlor Make For Good TV?

[ilgipper]

Yep, it became a 2 man race, and the guns need to be turned on Romney, and for a lot more than his health care fiasco. He needs to be attacked for having two views on every issue. Perry can beat Romney by not only being the conservative alternative, but meaning what he says and saying what he means...a trait badly desired right now in a politician as demonstrated in nearly every winning candidate in 2010, from Christie to Rubio to Rick Scott to Ron Johnson to Mike Lee, and countless congressman.

[DarthVader]

Hypotheticals do not matter at this time. If and only if she enters then we shall see.