Posted on 01/14/2012 3:50:40 PM PST by Bigtigermike
(Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has opened a wide lead over his rivals in the South Carolina primary election race, trouncing Newt Gingrich and gaining momentum in his march toward the party's nomination, a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, could all but quash his rivals' presidential aspirations with a victory in South Carolina on January 21 after winning the first state-by-state nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Voters in South Carolina - who have favored Republicans in nine of the last 10 presidential elections - appear to have shrugged off attacks on Romney by rivals who accuse him of killing jobs as a private equity executive for Bain Capital in the 1990s.
The poll showed 37 percent of South Carolina Republican voters back Romney. Congressman Ron Paul and former Senator Rick Santorum tied for second place with 16 percent support.
Gingrich, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, has fallen far back after holding a strong lead in South Carolina in December. He was in fourth place at 12 percent in the Reuters/Ipsos poll.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Lol @ so many people freaking out over a BS online poll where ~40% of the respondents identified as Democrat.
Stop it. :)
I’m hoping that even dem voters won’t like the dictator in BO that comes out daily. Dems are Americans first (although for many you wouldn’t know it). I think BO may get too cocky and show his true colors which will be distasteful for Americans of all stripes. However, we need a good candidate that can really nail what BO is doing in plain English.
WE CANNOT ALLOW ROMNEY TO BE OUR CANDIDATE! HE WILL PUT THIS NATION EVEN WORSE THAN OBAMA, WITH HIS SOCIALIST VIEWS ON HEALTH-CARE AND LOVE FOR FAGGOTS.
ABR
ANYONE BUT ROMNEY!
49% Democrat.
Sarah has opened her life to God’s use. He will show her the open door in His time. It may not be our will, but it will be His.
Right now she caring for her children and girding her loin for the battle ahead. It’s going to take more than one election cycle to turn this country around.
It may not be as President, but she has a job to do.
People who are disenchanted with Obama might vote for a relatively good looking, Presidential looking Romney, but never for a pasty, old, fat, beltway bandit like Gingrich.
I disagree. I think the social dynamics of the country have been sufficiently impacted by the destructive effects of Obama's Marxist agenda, that most Republican voters are looking for someone who harkens back to the Framers. That rules out Mitt Romney, and underscores Newt Gingrich.
Add to that, the fact that Romney can't seem to garner more than about 30% real support among Republican voters, and it's clear that fully 70% remain unimpressed with him, and are still looking for a better candidate to get behind.
On top of that, the more Republican voters discover Mitt Romney's actual record in office, the more they're convinced that he's little more than a pale imitation of Barack Obama.
I don't know, but I'm thinking that we're in the early stages of a voter rejection of the Massachusetts RINO.
“You’re failing, Ben.”
If I’m failing, why is your response to every positive thread about Santorum is to cut and paste off your list? Clearly you are frightened of Sir Sweater-vest and his army of soothing sycophants. Or solid supporters as the case may be.
“all you do in response is post snarky comments, cheer leading, or navel-gazing theories about why you think Santorum has a ghost of a chance of winning this thing.”
Uh, yeah. It’s called IOWA. Snark, navel gazers and cheerleaders galore. And apparently a few conservatives too.
“Your guy’s (real) polling numbers are reverting to trend”
16 percent is ‘reverting to trend’? Really? If that’s the case that’s a 14 point jump from where he was a month ago. Things have changed.
“this is causing you”
No. You cutting and pasting and posting in every thread that happens to be supportive of Santorum, prompts my response.
“most conservatives have never supported the guy”
Uh, the data in Iowa and NH show Santorum as number 1 among conservatives. Newt gets about half of Santorum’s support. The rest of Newt’s support comes from moderates and independents.
Heck, even the guy who posts the breakdowns clearly points this out. The evidence is there.
“he’s never given most of us a solid reason to give him a second look”
It’s called Iowa.
“You can keep waving your pom poms for him, but it’s doing no good.”
So sayeth the prophet Windflier.
“He never had a winning base of support to begin with”
Again, it was enough to win Iowa and beat Romney. So clearly, he did have a sufficient base there to win the nomination.
“gaining no traction now”
Traction? What’s that? He’s already gotten traction. That is why he is in the conversation and leads Newt in delegates.
“This race is realistically down to two men — Romney and Gingrich.”
Uh, Huntsmen has more delegates than Newt.
“Throw your support to one or the other.”
Why would I back a loser who can’t win a primary in the South and isn’t running in his home state?
I pray to God for the same thing, but I think I will start praying for there to be some reason why BO and Valerie Jarret can’t run.
I have a weakness for sweater-vests. I bet if Newt wore one I’d totally support him. :D
Republicans are being driven to Romney by all of this Bain talk. It has given Romney momentum no matter what some people want to believe.
Maybe in the first day or two, but the real truth of what Bain Capital did to the companies they took over, is rapidly emerging as the new narrative.
You can thank the conservative blogosphere, Facebook, and FR for that.
Former speakers of the house are 0/0. They haven’t even came up to bat.
the conservative vote is being split and Perry, Rick and Newt need to have a talk and figure which two are dropping out NOW.
Romney can only win if the 3 of them stay in, Hell Perry drop out, Newt or Rick say they will be happy with VP and take Romney out of this race before the SC election
Ego’s have got to stop and put aside
Karl Rove is driving down your completed ballots soon.
Romney can reel in many independents and disenchanted moderate Dems . Neither R nor D women will give much support to Newt . Conservatives say they won’t vote for Romney which will give the election to Obama on a silver platter . Sorry - I just don’t see Gingrich pulling it off .
Newt will also call the press out on their bias. He will ask them where BO’s records are etc. would be fun to watch. McCain, the loser, will advise Romney on how to be nice and he will lose.
Rush really shoved his foot squarely into his mouth, with that rant about Newt's statements on Bain Capital. I was off work and sick all week, but I don't think I listened to more than ten minutes of Rush after he tore Newt apart over that.
And I'm normally a die-hard Rush listener.
I think Newt's SC polling numbers would be decidedly ahead of Mitt's right now, if Rush had played it cool. I can't tell you how angry I am with him over that.
When does real conservative emerge?
Mega dittos...
This is the Republican party - they don't really like conservatives.
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