BREAKING: New Rasmussen poll now has Gingrich leading Romney in S.C.

Rasmussen Reports ^ | Thursday, January 19, 2012 | Rasmussen

[DestroyLiberalism]

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has now surged ahead of Mitt Romney in the final Rasmussen Reports survey of the South Carolina Republican Primary race with the vote just two days away.

The latest telephone survey of Likely GOP Primary Voters in the state finds Gingrich with 33% support to Romney’s 31%. Two days ago, before the last debate, it was Romney by 14 percentage points.

Texas Congressman Ron Paul now runs third with 15% of the vote, followed by former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum at 11%. Paul's support is steady while Santorum's support has dropped five points since Monday. At the beginning of the month, just after Santorum’s strong showing in the Iowa caucuses, he ran second to Romney with 24% of the vote.

Texas Governor Rick Perry continues to run last with two percent (2%) support. He has dropped out of the race today and endorsed Gingrich. One percent (1%) of likely primary voters like some other candidate in the contest, and six percent (6%) remain undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The new findings come following Gingrich’s strong performance in a debate in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Monday night. Sarah Palin also signaled support for Gingrich which could have a significant impact in South Carolina. Two years ago, her endorsement of Nikki Haley transformed the race for governor. Ironically, now that Haley is governor, she has endorsed Romney while Palin is backing Gingrich for the moment.

The candidates will debate again in South Carolina this evening.

The race for the Republican presidential nomination is now nearly even nationally with Romney still on top with 30% support but Gingrich just three points behind at 27%. Santorum who was running second has dropped to 15%.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

Good luck.

If he can prove his ex wife is a nut bag, then you may have something there. Otherwise the fat lady is warming her pipes with honey tea...

[Rich21IE]

Hmm, you may be underestimating the power of the media and the stupidity of the majority of the electorate. But....we’ll see.

[dfwgator]

Hmm, you may be underestimating the power of the media and the stupidity of the majority of the electorate.

November 2008, told me everything I needed to know about the electorate.

This is a stupid country.

[manc]

RP is going to do all of that, OK do you know that he has in 30 years yes 30 years only passed one bill and that was more of a pork bill.

RP has done nothing whilst in power but look like a confused old frail man who seems to not even know what platform he is on.
Only a couple of weeks ago on stage he said” I am the only true Democrat on this stage running”

[manc]

Agree then we would have proper conservatives in power, socially and fiscal unlike the half baked elitist lot

[patriot08]

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/05/rick-santorums-tragic-yearbook-photo/239515/

Lots of candidates have embarrassing things in their past that they'd hate to have flare up in the middle of a presidential campaign. I think we can safely conclude that we have found Rick Santorum's! At the right, cast your eyes upon the tragedy that is Santorum's high school year book photo--specifically, Carmel High School in Mundelein, Illinois, in 1976. (The picture is from Chris Good's compilation of high school year book photos of the 2012 Republican presidential candidates--it's not pretty, although I recommend clicking through.)

A quick office straw poll here at The Atlantic, conducted amidst uproarious laughter, confirms that this is, in fact, the single worst year book photo that most of us have ever seen. An outright disaster. I suppose it's Santorum's misfortune to have been in high school during this era. I'm pretty sure that 1976 wasn't too kind to anyone. But still. Wow--he looks like McLovin in polyester. I have yet to meet the political consultant talented enough to spin this one. My condolences to Santorum. Brave of him to have struggled through this and made something of this life.

[Thane_Banquo]

Newt looks like Drew Carey there.

[uncbob]

Well maybe if Ras is as skewed as those posters claim then Newt has an even bigger lead

[pallis]

I’m still surprised to see Romney breaking 30 percent. Go Newt.

[uncbob]

And now that he has the lead in at least one poll do we think that maybe he will get more time in the debates like Romney has been getting

[uncbob]

Problem is don’t democrats also vote in SC ?

Ras only polls GOP voters

[Neoliberalnot]

Any opponent of Obamugabe is a friend of mine. I will not bad-mouth any true opponent of the fraudulent weasel in the WH.

[caww]

Marianne will look like the bitter woman she is. Good grief 11 yrs! She needs to get on with her life....but some carry their misery to the grave.

Interesting is nobody’s talking about the 6 yrs. she moved out...and left Newt dangling. She even said it was a marriage that should have never been. I saw alot while looking at Newt’s history. She’s definately a revengful woman and simply doing exactly what she said she would do in 95’ interview....she would take Newt down if he choose to run by doing this very interview.....and here she is.

[Notwithstanding]

Newt’s was a chubby nerd who was seduced by his teacher and started dating her when he was only 16. With this introduction to sex and marriage, no wonder he made bad decisions. But he had come around to understand how wrong he got it and what right looks like. Sinners can’t un-do their past sins, but they can admit them and regret them and warn others not to make them.

Newt’s sister suffers from psycho-sexual pathology as a homosexual who also tries to look and act like a man. She refuses to see the world as it really is.

That Newt has seen the light is a joy to witness. How sick to drag a man down by shrieking about well-known sins he admits and regrets and decries. NOTHING in this interview is new or novel or surprising - it is not surprising that an adulterer wanted his spouse to permit the affair to continue (it happens all the time). What is surprising and novel is that the adulteress is decrying adultery as if she was an innocent player.

[caww]

Go Newt Go!!!!! all the way to WAshington and kick the bums out! We have a chance...we DO have a chance... to turn this country back on track!

[jwalsh07]

I trust Newt about as far as I can throw him and would vote for Santorum if I were a SC resident. I'm pretty pissed off that the choice has come down to Romney the RINO or the flip side of Bill Clinton but Obama is so bad I don't have a choice but to support whoever runs against him.

I'll tell you this though, Newt treats ideas like he treats wives and if an issue like global warming puts a twinkle in his eye he'll latch onto it post haste. He'll be traingulating before you can say Gingrich and will need his feet held to the fire every bit as much as Romney would.

[j.argese]

It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
Proverbs 21:19

[Amanda King]

AND didn’t Marianne start dating Newt before his divorce with wife #1 was final?

[Marcella]

“Does she have a drinking problem?”

You make an astute statement. She looks so bad, I was trying to think what would make a person look like that and an alcohol problem would do it. She looks like she has no life in her. If I were in her shoes, I’d try to look great instead of looking like I was on a hang-over.

[PapaBear3625]

Larry Sabato thinks Perry’s endorsement will get Newt 5-6 pts. even though Perry is polling lower than that. That is what he said on FNC.

Possibly there are people who like and respect Perry, but don't pick him as their poll pick because he has such dismal numbers.

The only poll that will count is the actual primary on Saturday. We'll see on Sunday how that shakes out.