Insider Advantage Poll - Florida (Newt 34, Mitt 25)

realclearpolitics.com ^ | 1/22/12 | staff

[TexasFreeper2009]

Gingrich 34.4 Romney 25.6

[Psalm 144]

“Sad, because I’ve always liked Ann Coulter and wished she was on our side over this.

Does anyone know why she went so nuts over Romney?”

Its that suave Ted Bundy style charm that oozes from Romney.

[Psalm 144]

“I saw that, too! Romney out and out lied about Newt Gingrich’s record, and the whole time he had on his ‘stalker’ smirk.”

Many people miss that, and what it indicates about the man.

Romney really is the GOP’s Obama.

[Psalm 144]

“If I were Romney, I would STFU about healthcare.”

But if you were Romney, you would have integrity, and if Romney had integrity, he would not be Romney anymore.

[PhilDragoo]

If Newt wins nomination and eventually presidency it’s going to be an interesting time to be alive.

[JediJones]

Another one of Romney’s feverishly pitched anti-Newt talking points were that “we’re electing a president, not a talk radio host.” Sheesh, doesn’t he have some actual conservatives he can buy off to run this messaging by first? I know what I’ve been waiting for for years is a Republican candidate who actually exhibits the passion on the issues and the ability to communicate that the average conservative radio host does. Make that Exhibit #467 to make the case that Romney is out-of-touch with the voters and not a conservative.

[JediJones]

It’s funny that Newt is being vindicated on some of the earlier statements that he walked back. He said back in December that it was hard to imagine he wouldn’t be the nominee. And a couple weeks ago he called Romney a liar. Now we’re seeing the evidence to prove these assertions firsthand.

Now that Newt’s the frontunner, the “rise above the fray” strategy that Romney employed in Iowa might work. Newt can let his SuperPAC do the dirty work while he avoids direct attacks on Romney and pitches his message for the general election against Obama. These new Romney attacks seem so facile that he might actually be able to dismiss them as easily as he did John King’s question.

I also noted that Meet the Press today, while being highly unfavorable to Newt, made note that when Romney went into attack dog mode in 2008, he did a bad job of it. Considering how unlikable Romney is when he’s being nice, I can’t imagine how quickly the “mean” Romney will wear out his welcome.

[Psalm 144]

Agreed. Much of the rise of talk radio conservatism has been due to the utter failure of the political class to carry the message. Limbaugh himself was cranky a few years back about ‘carrying the water’ for unnamed GOP suits.

Gingrich will not need anyone to articulate conservatism for him. However, I hope to almighty God that Gingrich is done with the lame triangulation foolishness with the left.

[Psalm 144]

“Considering how unlikable Romney is when he’s being nice, I can’t imagine how quickly the “mean” Romney will wear out his welcome.”

I have seen videos of him debating some woman in Massachusetts, where he just looks daggers at her over some minor contradiction. Absolute snake eyed malice. He is a very nasty piece of work under all the oil and polish. So very much like Obama.

[Utmost Certainty]

If you look at the internals of the last PPP poll from SC, Gingrich leads with the evangelical demographic by near 2 to 1 over Romney and Santorum: 41% vs. 21%.

Further confirmation, CNN exit polls from SC also mirrored this trend: Gingrich 44%, Romney 22%, Santorum 21%.

So, Santorum's presence isn't really necessary if all he's there for is to siphon evangelical votes from Romney. Newt's already got that niche effectively covered, and would benefit even more if Santorum would drop out.

[Utmost Certainty]

Insightful POV re: evangelical voters; I hadn’t considered that, thanks.

I think the polling data I posted suggests something to that idea.

[trebb]

Establishment GOP will pull out all the stops to deny us our want.

Yep - saw a compiliation "smear the Newt" ad during the ball game last night. Mittens and the establishment GOP have their knckers in knots and are getting ready for a scorched earth campaign. IMO, it may not be the worst that can happen - it might very well cause an uprise against the Establishment and help them see the light... It will definitely harden hearts against Mittens as he proves he's too stupid to see (or care) what Newt understood from the beginning about this tactic.

[SF_Redux]

REWT 4 NEWT !!!!!

[fortheDeclaration]

Looks like the Romney ship is taking on water fast!

[C210N]

Wow, Ronmey is collapsing...

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Hey, have some respect! you misspelled Romeny's name!!

[patriot08]

I don’t know where that idea is coming from Zero is the most beatable president since Jimmy. Just about anyone could beat Zero, hell I could beat Zero, no sweat.

___________________

With all due respect, don’t be so confident.
Remember how he got elected? The mass voter fraud? The illegal overseas contributions, the MTM covering up his seedy past and pushing him down our throats every step of the way?

Things will get much worse this time around.
He still has all that going for him plus a billion dollars in campaign funds.

Do not think for a minute that the rats will let the Commmunist coup they pulled off slip through their fingers.
This will be the dirtiest presidential campaign in history.

We must be constantly alert, aware and fight him with all we’ve got if America is to survive.

.

[patriot08]

Didn’t Perry just suspend his race?
If something happened with Newt, couldn’t he get back in?
I would trust Perry much more than Santorum.

[Servant of the Cross]

Woo Hoo! Go Florida!

[TheRake]

Santorum has lost his best hope to Newt in SC

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He’s also destroyed his political career.

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I think your post slid under the radar. After watching the debate and Santorums interview after, I told my wife he just screwed the pooch with the base. He tried his best to infer that Newt was unstable and unpredictable. That won’t sit well. It didn’t with me. He’s toast. IMO

[patriot08]

.

From Red State:
http://www.redstate.com/erick/2012/01/22/money-for-santorum/
(hat tip to chigogal)

‘I can confirm tonight from multiple sources that phone calls are in fact occurring between Republicans in Washington and among evangelical leaders to raise money for Rick Santorum rapidly

The sources tell me that this is not for a Santorum win, though the evangelicals I spoke to continue to hope it is possible. This is to stop Newt Gingrich. One evangelical leader I spoke to said, “If Newt wins, we won’t be able to make family values an issue in the general.” One lobbyist I spoke to said, “They [the GOP leaders in DC] are really nervous about Gingrich and they think he’d be a disaster. The best way to shut him down is to prop up
Rick.’
______________________

Oh my gosh!

[Cato in PA]

I’m cautiously optimistic. Don’t forget that Newt was trailing Romney in South Carolina around this same before the vote.

Santorum and Romney are like two cornered animals who will stop at nothing to save their political careers. It’s going to be a rough 8 days, but resist we much...we must and we will much...about...that...be committed.