Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Rasmussen: ‘It would be good for the party’ if Gingrich dropped out
daily caller ^ | 3-20-12 | unknown

Posted on 03/19/2012 10:39:11 PM PDT by VinL

With former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich low in the polls and splitting the conservative vote with former Sen. Rick Santorum, commentators and pundits have suggested that Gingrich should drop out of the GOP race. Political analyst Scott Rasmussen told The Daily Caller that a dispassionate reading of the tea leaves suggests they’re right.

“I think if [Gingrich] dropped out, it would be good for the party and it would be good for Santorum and Romney,” Rasmussen said. “It is much easier and much healthier for the Republican party if you have Santorum and Romney going head-to-head and Ron Paul throwing in a different perspective, than it is to have Gingrich and Santorum fighting to appeal to the same group of voters.”

Rasmussen noted that Gingrich is prolonging the GOP nomination by remaining in the contest, as he has insisted he would.

“The race to get 50 percent is a lot harder if four people are splitting them up,” Rasmussen said.

Gingrich lags behind Santorum and former Gov. Romney with 136 delegates and 14 percent in the polls, stretching his two primary victories in South Carolina and Georgia as far as they will go.

Gingrich’s campaign spokesperson gave no sign of throwing in the towel.

“Santorum and Romney are not bold enough to challenge the Democrat machine,” R.C. Hammond said, dismissing Rasmussen’s comments. “Newt is and he will.” (RELATED: Full coverage of the Gingrich campaign)

While the former speaker may possess that boldness, RealClearPolitics senior elections analyst Sean Trende has seen little success from the Gingrich campaign, concluding that “the numbers just aren’t there.”

Gingrich would have to win 75 percent of the remaining delegates to clinch the GOP nomination.

“His goal right now,” Trende explained, “and what his entire strategy is — and he says this — is to keep Romney from getting to 1,144 [delegates], and split up the delegates enough ways that there’s a brokered convention and maybe he can convince all of the delegates to break his way there.”

But Gingrich might be in for more disappointment.

Rasmussen suggested that if anything, it is “conceivable” that GOP front-runner Mitt Romney could go to an open convention with with less than 50 percent of the delegates but a big lead, meaning he would be the nominee no matter what.

“The only way it becomes a brokered convention is if none of the candidates has a big lead,” Rasmussen explained. “If that happens, you have a free-for-all — a pretty unlikely scenario.”

Both analysts agree that if Gingrich ended his candidacy, most of his voters would go to Santorum, but not all of them.

In fact, Trende predicted that Gingrich dropping out would increase Romney’s odds of becoming the nominee. Romney, with 507 delegates, stands twice as tall next to Santorum’s 239 delegates.

“The race right now is between Romney and a brokered convention,” Trende speculated. “It will be very difficult for Rick Santorum to get to 1,144 [delegates], whether Gingrich is in or not.”


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bishopvspope; gingrich; gopehijackedteaparty; newt4teaparty; rasmussen4romney; rasmussenpimpsmitt; richestvsholiest; rickhijackedteaparty; ricksplittingvote; rickwasusedbygope; romneydirtytrick; santorumvsteaparty; typicalromneytrick
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-85 next last
To: Christie at the beach

Razz is usually right.
I dont like it though.
I think Santorum will be the weakest candidate in the general election.


21 posted on 03/19/2012 11:33:34 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: mylife

Santorum is not a disruptor. That’s the problem. He’s at best a status quo politician.


22 posted on 03/19/2012 11:34:08 PM PDT by trappedincanuckistan (livefreeordietryin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: trappedincanuckistan

Perhaps.
He is rocking the boat.
Needlessly I might add..

Grabbing at 3rd rails.


23 posted on 03/19/2012 11:36:04 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Christie at the beach

Tucker Carlson of Daily Caller has endorsed Romney or came as close to it on Fox. He had harsh things to say of Rick and Newt because he is punk. Daily Caller/ Tucker is the one who posted that vile story about Sarah Palin having a fling with a basketball player and posted vulgar implications. This is the story that Greta had a argument with Tucker about. Watch the daily caller-They are doing what it takes to help Mitt. The insiders and media pals are afraid that Newt and Palin could shake up the convention. They have to keep all of us in line. They know conservatives will Not accept Romney even at the end of the primaries. He may come close to the delegates but we don’t have to accept him and they know this.


24 posted on 03/19/2012 11:40:05 PM PDT by Christie at the beach (I like Newt and would love to see political dead bodies on the floor.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: montanajoe; Rome2000

Actually, if Rick used his head- they could keep Rom under 800. He should have let Newt win Ala and Miss- and now La.

Letting Newt win, doesn’t hurt Rick because Newt can’t amass enough delegates to win outright. As Newt wins, he remains viable- and there’s no better force than Newt to continue to chop Romney down to size.

Also, it allows the maximization of the anti Rom limited financial resources- allowing them to compete in their strongest states one on one.

Romney is outspending Rick 7 to 1 in Ill— rick is thick- but hopefully he’ll come to realize that no one can compete against unlimited resources-— Newt understood that after Fla.


25 posted on 03/19/2012 11:43:04 PM PDT by VinL (It is better to suffer every wrong, than to consent to wrong.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Christie at the beach

Tucker has always been establishment. Go back and read some of the stuff he did for the Weekly Standard. Pure garbage.


26 posted on 03/19/2012 11:44:46 PM PDT by trappedincanuckistan (livefreeordietryin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Rome2000
If they put Romney in -it’s time for a New party.

It is the only way to save our country and keep the
America we know for our children. Nothing else matters now.

27 posted on 03/19/2012 11:48:41 PM PDT by Christie at the beach (I like Newt and would love to see political dead bodies on the floor.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: VinL

I think the voters need to take the lead and vote for either Rick or Newt depending on who is strongest in each state. The Newt supporters should vote for Rick in Illinois today...


28 posted on 03/19/2012 11:50:38 PM PDT by montanajoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: VinL
‘It would be good for the party’ if Gingrich dropped out

I don't give a flip about the GOP E party, I care about OUR COUNTRY!

And NEWT is the candidate WeThePeople/OUR COUNTRY.

29 posted on 03/20/2012 12:08:59 AM PDT by presently no screen name
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: VinL

I’m in til Newt’s out. FUMR TO INFINITY


30 posted on 03/20/2012 12:12:23 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: VinL
Rasmussen: ‘It would be good for the party’ if Gingrich dropped out

It would be GOOD for POLLS if Rasmussen dropped out!

31 posted on 03/20/2012 12:20:22 AM PDT by VideoDoctor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: VideoDoctor

It would be GOOD for POLLS if Rasmussen dropped out!

Lol.


32 posted on 03/20/2012 12:21:52 AM PDT by Christie at the beach (I like Newt and would love to see political dead bodies on the floor.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: VinL

“I think if [Gingrich] dropped out, it would be good for the party and it would be good for Santorum and Romney,” Rasmussen said.”


All the more reason for Newt to stay in. Neither of those fruitcakes deserve the presidency and they sure as hell will not get my vote.

I look forward to the complete destruction of the GOP-e.

** President Newt Gingrich-”Our beloved republic deserves nothing less.”


33 posted on 03/20/2012 12:23:15 AM PDT by Gator113 (** President Newt Gingrich-"Our beloved republic deserves nothing less." ~Just livin' life, my way~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: VinL
Why should the best man for the job drop out?

Go Newt!

34 posted on 03/20/2012 1:30:01 AM PDT by rightly_dividing ("You can not put a gun rack in a Volt")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: VinL; kalee; TitansAFC; LuvFreeRepublic; Sea Parrot; SweetCaroline; matthew fuller; Gator113; ...
Good for the party? How about good for the country? Time to keep Newt in business! Donate by visiting...
Newt.org = The Only Candidate of Substance & Real Solutions!

35 posted on 03/20/2012 1:33:11 AM PDT by onyx (SUPPORT FREE REPUBLIC, DONATE MONTHLY. If you want on Sarah Palin's Ping List, let me know.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: VinL
‘It would be good for the party’ if Gingrich ROMNEY dropped out!


36 posted on 03/20/2012 1:36:32 AM PDT by Yosemitest (It's simple, fight or die!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: onyx

That’s right, onyx!

Go Newt!!!


37 posted on 03/20/2012 1:36:40 AM PDT by Gene Eric (Newt/Sarah 2012)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: VinL
Newt's calling the shots- and that's how it should be.

Wait, Ging brich can decide what he wants to do, but why do you maintain he has the right to tell me orr anyone else to do? Where in the Constitution does it give him the right to "call the shots" for anyone else but himself. He may not like the fact that evil right wing social engineer global warming-denier conservatives exist, but we don't have to role over for him just because he's proclaimed himself messiah.

38 posted on 03/20/2012 1:49:50 AM PDT by nickcarraway
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: trappedincanuckistan
What I heard Rasmussen say is “if Newt would get out my boy Romney could roll Santorum”.

That's exactly what I heard.

39 posted on 03/20/2012 2:02:16 AM PDT by meadsjn (Sarah 2012, or sooner)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: All
Too late, Newt has decided his petty and somewhat deranged vendetta against the party for not loving him as much as he loves himself is worth more than defeating Obama.

He wants a brokered convention where the GOP establishment elite, who run the thing and make the rules, will still anoint Romney and will say it's because Mitt still has the MOST delegates—thank you Newt. Newt thinks he will have a “say” in Tampa but he will be too politically toxic and bitterly resented for being a disgruntled spoiler who weakened the eventual nominee so much, even though he KNEW personally that he himself COULD NOT WIN—four more years of Obama was made inevitable.

Oh, Gingrich is going to be REAL popular in Tampa—especially after using the last of his millions in smearing the last true conservative left who could have won, aka Rick Santorum.

Wreck Rick to get back at Mitt—what a sick twisted and damned to fail strategy--and some folks say Newt is smart.

40 posted on 03/20/2012 2:31:19 AM PDT by Happy Rain ("Newt can't beat Mitt and Mitt can't beat Obama so what does Newt do? Picks Obama over Rick.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-85 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson