Posted on 01/21/2012 2:52:40 PM PST by TBBT
Nearly two out of three South Carolina Republican primary voters say the recent Republican presidential debates played an important factor in their decision, according to early CBS News exit polls - a good sign for Newt Gingrich, who was widely seen as outshining rival Mitt Romney in both debates there this week.
Sixty-four percent said the debates were an important factor for them; just 34 percent said they were not. Gingrich won standing ovations in both debates while Romney often struggled - and at one point received a smattering of boos for equivocating over how many years of his tax returns he would release.
Gingrich, who polls suggest overtook Romney in the final days before today's primary, is hoping for a victory that would keep Romney from locking up the nomination before the end of the month. A majority of voters - 53 percent - said they made up their mind about who to back within the last few days.
The exit poll data showed that South Carolina voters overwhelmingly cited the economy as the most important issue, with 61 percent citing it. (The economy was the top issue in Iowa and New Hampshire as well.) It was followed by the federal budget deficit (23 percent), abortion (8 percent) and health care (4 percent). Seventy-eight percent of voters in South Carolina, where the unemployment rate is 9.9 percent, said they are "very" worried about the nation's economy.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
BTTT
And Newt won those debates to standing ovations!! Go, Newt!!
Lookin’ good for Newt!
That’s why Romney is now saying he won’t debate in Florida.
Frankly, I think it will look bad for him either way. He’s lousy at the debates, smirks through them and then loses his cool, has no ideas, and seems both wooden and evasive in his replys. But having an empty podium...or having the others refer to his absence constantly, which is what they will do...is sure not going to look good either.
The debates have always mattered, more than any other events because they are the largest audiences the candidates are able to address during the campaigns. The occasional posts at FR stating that debates don’t matter usually come from posters who candidates have had a bad debate.
Romney has already floated on Fox News that he is not going to debate in Florida....
Phucking phoney...
I for one... want to see these two debate thru April...It would be good for the country...But Romney cares only about himself...
RIght now Obama is not even in the news.... The primaries are.
Our precinct in PA doesn’t allow cameras. Nobody in SC seemed to care.
Newsmax
ARG Poll: Gingrich 40%, Romney 26% in SC
Saturday, January 21, 2012 12:42 PM
An American Research Group survey released Saturday and reported by CNN indicates that 40% of people likely to vote in South Carolina’s GOP contest say they are backing the former House speaker, with 26% supporting former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
In other findings: 18% are backing Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and 13% support former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.
FYI Mitty announced earlier today that he’s going to debate in Florida.
I guess he realized he was opening opening himself up to massive ridicule.
You mean NOT to debate?
“South Carolina voters overwhelmingly cited the economy as the most important issue, with 61 percent citing it.”
That’s bad news for the cadaver in the Whitehouse. His ham-handed attack against Boeing further reduces his tiny stature in SC.
South Carolina is enemy territory for SEIU unions and Holder’s “peeples.” We have four of Holder’s savages locked up, facing up to 20 years in prison under the state’s anti-lynching law.
Definitely not a Romney supporter, but I really think the issue of his releasing his tax records is stupid. I see no reason for him to do so, and I agree with his statement during the last CNN debate that he is not going to apologize for being successful.
Chris Wallace said Newt won on electability narrowly over Romney in the exit polls.
FOX today said Romney did agree to Monday’s Florida debate.
FOX said the 3 southern states with the worst unemployment are South Carolina, Florida, and I think North Carolina. Good sign for Newt if he’s winning on the unemployment issue. Iowa and New Hampshire had unusually low unemployment compared to the nation.
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