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).

[devolve]

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“Earmark” Rick’s plans include a “special” tax rate but only for manufacturing (read: union industries that vote demoncrat) blue-collar jobs to bring them back from overseas -

Easier said than done - and a huge “big government” approach - like Neutral with his millions of fantasy “Big Solutions” (like “Colonies On The Moon to mine for bs and lunar bat guano”) that never materialize - while it is unsafe to walk through many parts DC, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, ATLANTA, and RICHMOND -

The train may have left and Ron Paul is leaving them in the dust in many states -

- and I am no Ron Paul supporter - but he would actually make a real dandy (appointed) TREASURY CZAR.....

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[katiedidit1]

Santorum will never recieve the gop nod..you can take that to the bank. The man has barely been patted on the head with kid gloves and noone has really exposed his liberal and anti conservative voting record in regards to tossing taxpayers hard earned dollars to the winds. That is the REAL Rick Santorum! No thank YOU!
Immigration
Voted against increasing the number of immigration investigators
Voted to allow illegal immigrants to receive the earned income credit before becoming citizens
Voted to give SSI benefits to legal aliens.
Voted to give welfare benefits to naturalized citizens without regard to to the earnings of their sponsors.
Voted against hiring an additional 1,000 border partrol agents, paid for by reductions in state grants.

Taxes
Voted against a flat tax.
Voted to increase tobacco taxes to pay for Medicare prescription drugs
Voted to increase tobacco taxes to fund health insurance subsidies for small businesses.
Voted to increase tobacco taxes to pay for an $8 billion increase in child healh insurance.
Voted to increase tobacco taxes to pay for an increase in NIH funding.
Voted twice for internet taxes.
Voted to allow gas tax revenues to be used to subsidize Amtrak.
Voted to strike marriage penalty tax relief and instead provide fines on tobacco companies.
Voted against repealing the Clinton 4.3 cent gas tax increase.
Voted to increase taxes by $2.3 billion to pay for an Amtrak trust fund.
Voted to allow welfare to a minor who had a child out of wedlock and who resided with an adult who was on welfare within the previous two years.
Voted to increase taxes by $9.4 billion to pay for a $9.4 billion increase in student loans.
Voted to say that AMT patch is more important than capital gains and dividend relief.

Welfare
Voted against food stamp reform
Voted against Medicaid reform
Voted against TANF reform
Voted to increase the Social Services Block Grant from $1 billion to $2 billion
Voted to increase the FHA loan from $170,000 to $197,000. Also opposed increasing GNMA guaranty from 6 basis points to 12.
Voted for $2 billion for low income heating assistance.

[aruanan]

Santorum/Gingrich

If we had this, we'd have a president who's not an a-hole and a vice-president who's not an idiot.

[ilovesarah2012]

I will never vote for Romney. I could vote for Santorum.

[max americana]

“Not everyone on FR supports Newt”

Yes, and that’s what makes the forum unique. However, PCG also was both right and wrong as she assumed everyone is in the majority on FR for Newt which is not true IMHO. I lean towards Newt but Rick won’t be bad either. The objective is to rid Klownie the Kommie Kenyan from the WH by first, making sure Myth doesn’t get the nomination.

It’s like the situation in the Super Bowl. I despise the Pats and rooted for the Saints but the Giants got in and eventually won so I’m OK..Pats didn’t win ;)

[ScottinVA]

Chances are it isn`t going to end well, but vote your heart anyway.

[ScottinVA]

JimRob supports Newt, not all of FR.

[FresnoRobert]

You are 100% correct. The C. Edmond Wright guy posting here works for a Newt PAC, so trying to get truth from him is impossible. He isn't here to listen or discuss. He's here to promote Newt and do his best to tear down anyone else. Regarding the video of Rick and the Tea Party, it is a Ron Paul hit job that is taken out of context. Look here: teaparty.org He only mentions the Tea Party with respect to those elements within it that align themselves with libertarians and propose no government and the repeal or revision of the 1964 Civil Rights Bill. I am not a Ron Paulian, so limited and effective government and conservative views on social issues and drug use are OK with me.

[Theodore R.]

No, Ann Coulter just led Mittens to 38 percent victory at the CPAC poll today.

[Wiz]

I was expecting Newt would be the front runner, and supported him as the realistic figure to defeat Mitt, but as Santorum continues to win several states, I believe it is time to switch over, and unite our support for Santorum. Newt may still be selected as Vice President, and I support that too, since his experience in the congress for pulling strings is valuable.

[potlatch]

Tread lightly

[devolve]

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Carry a huge Colt .44-40

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[potlatch]

You gonna blow a hole in the thread?
Once upon a time I would have gone to get my gunshot gifs

[devolve]

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The .gifs that time forgot.....

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[Lady Lucky]

http://libertycounselaction.org/content/home/32905/rick_santorum_s_voting_record

Here are some additional items — acc to Liberty Counsel Action.

Santorum on gun issues:
Voted to require pawn shops to do background checks on people who pawn a gun
Voted twice to make it illegal to sell a gun without a secure storage or safety device
Voted for a Federal ban on possession of “assault weapons” by those under 18
Voted for Federal funding for anti-gun education programs in schools
Voted for anti-gun juvenile justice bill.

[potlatch]

No, I haven’t forgotten them. Spent too many years on them.

[Marguerite]

The allocations of delegates, according to the lamestream media is absolutely BULL.

The truth is that so far:

Santorum has only THREE pledged delegates.

Romney has 73

Gingrich has 29

Paul has 8

Unpledged caucus delegates - 95

Notes: The listed pledged delegates for each candidate are the only the delegates that are actually bound to those candidates. Unpledged caucus selected delegates are any delegates that are selected at county, regional, or state conventions as an extension of the caucus process without regard for non-binding presidential straw polls often also conducted at caucuses. Unpledged party selected delegates are delegates selected through the state party that are not a part of the caucus or primary process. For example Illinois and Indiana select unpledged delegates at their state conventions in addition to those selected during their primaries. Unpledged party leaders are state party officials who are delegates by virtue of their position. Unpledged released delegates are those delegates won by a candidate who has withdrawn from the race and therefore have become unpledged delegates, such as the 2 delegates won by Jon Huntsman in New Hampshire.

http://www.capitalfreepress.com/republican-primary-delegate-allocation-2012/

[Proudcongal]

Informative post, Katie.

[Sun]

“and the fall of Romney.”

I like the sound of that.

[DoughtyOne]

Hey mighty Kong, why are you spewing this tripe across the forum?

Newt couldn’t even get his own party members to re-elect him Speaker, and resigned in 1999 rather than be humiliated?

If you don’t want to vote for Santorum great, nobody here is forcing you.

I’ll gladly vote for him and if that signifies a low IQ to you, all the better.