Santorum surges into the lead (National poll Santorum 38%, Romney 23%)

Public Policy Polling ^ | 02/11/2012 | Public Policy Polling

[Rational Thought]

Riding a wave of momentum from his trio of victories on Tuesday Rick Santorum has opened up a wide lead in PPP's newest national poll. He's at 38% to 23% for Mitt Romney, 17% for Newt Gingrich, and 13% for Ron Paul.

Part of the reason for Santorum's surge is his own high level of popularity. 64% of voters see him favorably to only 22% with a negative one. But the other, and maybe more important, reason is that Republicans are significantly souring on both Romney and Gingrich. Romney's favorability is barely above water at 44/43, representing a 23 point net decline from our December national poll when he was +24 (55/31). Gingrich has fallen even further. A 44% plurality of GOP voters now hold a negative opinion of him to only 42% with a positive one. That's a 34 point drop from 2 months ago when he was at +32 (60/28).

[RasterMaster]

And I thought Paultards were the only vile, disgusting, depraved human debris to “grace” us with their presence. Their “golden boy” sinks in the polls and they get more rabid and vile by the day. A sure sign of a flailing campaign.

[Mariner]

Rick Santorum will never, ever cut the size and scope of the Federal Government. He's a fiscal liberal and a social conservative.

The worst possible combination, especially in the era of Obama.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

[Politically speaking, Santorum is a humorless Bush reincarnate. He is also short on poise and maturity, and liberal on spending and statism.]

You are spot on! Not only that, just think about how the MSM will showcase Santorum’s obvious lack of personality and Gravitas. Like it or not, those two things are what drive American Politics.

Santorum is as exciting as watching sugar ants on a sidewalk. His facial odd expressions and monotonous tone are extremely painful to have to watch. And the MSM will rip him into dry kindling.

[FresnoRobert]

I like Newt. He was a powerhouse in the 90’s. He's great on big ideas, but In my opinion he can't win. His negatives are too high and once a large % of people form a firm negative opinion, it's really hard to convince them otherwise.

Newt has stepped off the reservation several times on big issues as has Rick. Rick has been better on TARP, global warming and healthcare than Newt. I just believe Rick is the better of the two to take on Obama. Time will tell if he can sustain the momentum. If Rick does well in the south on super Tuesday, it's time for Newt to get out. At that point Rick can take it all. If not, what's left? Either is better than Mitt or Ron.

[GeronL]

but but but we were assured that Santorum can’t win the nomination by snobby folks!

[Georgia Girl 2]

So true. Rick Santorum has zero chance to win the nomination. He will not win any of the big primaries.

[Rebelbase]

“Obama is far worse.”

Really?

[BobL]

“Gallup-USA has Obama givin’ Newt a thumpin’ by over 12-points. This was not the margin Carter had over Reagan. Carter cratered over the botched attempt to rescue the US hostages in Iran.”

I was around in 1980 and I wanted Bush because he was ‘electable’, whereas Reagan was a REACTIONARY (to use the term of the day). I NEVER thought that Reagan could win in November, given his stance on social issues and the fact that he planned to blow up the world.

I wasn’t alone. Reagan was HATED by the Republican Establishment, for the same reasons I just alluded to. But Reagan got the nomination and won. In 2012, I’m fine with either Newt or Santorum - either of them can bring the fight to Obama (rather than bowing to him), and win. Romney - I’m not so sure - he seems to be much more interested in shooting down Republicans than winning in November.

[American Constitutionalist]

" Wrong again. If you will listen for a change, you just might learn that there are actually some people here that know everything about Santorum "

As Ronald Reagan once said " There you go again "

No, on the contrary,
It seems ? you and some Newt supporters seem to not listen carefully.
Just like the video that some Newt supporters and even Newt himself are trying to make hay with out of nothing by making it look like Rick was attacking the Tea Party instead of actually listen to what Rick said in that video.... there is no THERE, there...

Also, It seems the Newt supporters either give him a free pass on things that people try to bring up about Newt..i.e. his dabbling into the Global Warming Hoax, unless your for that hoax also ?
His sitting on the couch getting all cozy with the like of Nancy D'Alesandro.

Newt's " Rightwing Social Engineering " and yes, I will keep harping on that since some Newt supporters keep harping on things about Rick.
How about some of Newt's actual words ( not taken out of context ) of him saying he idolizes and adores FDR ? Woodrow Wilson ?
Him claiming he came into the GOP as a Wilsonian, FDR , Roosevelt environmentalist ?

Yeah, look who has a hard time of listening .

[C. Edmund Wright]

Humorless Bush reincarnate is a damned good description of Santorum.

Note: Chuck Norris is coming out with reasons why he does not support Santorum - Monday in World Net Daily. The irony? Norris will be proven more up to speed on Santorum than Rush. Amazing aint’ it?

[bill1952]

I don’t know - this November is going to come down to 3 key states, Pa, Ohio, & Florida.

I don’t see O winning Florida no matter how hard the MSM screams that its too close to call, and Santorum is from Pa.
If he can deliver his own state & take Florida then O is in deep troble getting to that magic number.

It will be hard for any R to overcome Philly & Pitts so maybe Santorum has an edge in Pa.

[wardaddy]

The dork optics are overwhelming. I watched his speech with the daughter and wife behind him, and I cringed. They forced a few smiles and then defaulted to grim American Gothic. The daughter with her small head on enormous body, her face puckered up with the same dyspeptic look her father sports most of the time — “I just swallowed a live squid!” — and the I-smell-something sneer on the wife — these things unfortunately matter a great deal, usually on a subliminal level.

very nasty post ma'am...I think you should self refelct

and I am a well known Newt supporter btw

[Engraved-on-His-hands]

And I thought Paultards were the only vile, disgusting, depraved human debris to “grace” us with their presence. Their “golden boy” sinks in the polls and they get more rabid and vile by the day. A sure sign of a flailing campaign.

I contend that the vast majority of the Newt supporters are great folks. If you notice, most of the vile comments are coming from a very few people who post repeatedly.

I'm a Santorum supporter, but I appreciate the great things that Newt has done for our country. I think that most Newt supporters also like Rick, and are probably embarrassed by the over the top comments of a few posters.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

[I'm not sure you should be calling ignorant.]

I would say the the one who is most ignorant, is the one who has to repeat the same 3 old, tired MSM talking points, which have already been successfully rebutted, clarified and exonerated for months now, and who repeats them word for word, like they were just recently discovered. (Which in your case, is probably true.)

[caww]

Just so you haven’t missed Titans post....good stuff here and worth looking at reality of where Santorums at..what do you think hoosiermama?

-—”Newt supporters underestimate Rick Santorum and over estimate Newt in his ability to beat Romney and win this November.”-—

No such thing is happening. It is Santorum supporters who overestimate their candidate’s chances:

Here in IL, Rick will field no delegates.
He will field none in TN, either.
He is not on the ballot in IN
He is not on the ballot in DC
He is not on the ballot in VA
He will not field any delegates in ND
He is not on the ballot in 20% of OH

He could not even try to compete in the first big state of FL, and has already said as much about CA and NY.

The talking point from Rick supporters goes something like this: Through our sheer willpower, we will convince the states where Rick won’t field any delegates to just give them to Santorum anyway. Even though that never happens, it is only because nobody befire has been Rick Santorum!

Here’s the bad news: delegates are going to be pledged; and no matter how much you beg, they aren’t going to be assigned to Rick Santorum later just because you really want them to be. And really, in that above scenario, TN is the only one that assigns them later, anyway.

Rick CANNOT win the nomination. He CANNOT. There is no path to 1140+ delegates for him, period.

[RasterMaster]

If you look, you’ll notice they only get encouragement from their fellow Newties, who also have no shame.

I considered Newt, but he has had far too many deal breakers to see him as anything other than Romney-esque.

http://thespeechatimeforchoosing.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/gun-owners-of-america-newt-aint-great-on-2nd-amendment-rights-broke-his-promise-to-america/

While he talks a good game, his actions speak louder than his empty promises.

[FresnoRobert]

Very true.

[bushinohio]

So Newt never said those things huh? Sure, they’re just tired old talking points. You keep clinging to your belief that Newt is really a rock solid conservative, meanwhile I’ll live in reality.

[Tennessee Nana]

Rick Santorum 38% Willie Mitty 23%

Oh noez

Them bigots !!!

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

[very nasty post ma’am...I think you should self refelct]

I thought it was intelligent and funny myself.......

Here’s 5 bucks, now go buy yourself a sense of humor. Looks like you need one.