CNN Iowa poll: Romney 25, Paul 22, Santorum 16, Gingrich 14

HotAir ^ | 12/28/2011 | ALLAHPUNDIT

[TBBT]

You know who this benefits?

*snip*

So there’s the long-awaited Santorum surge among social cons, who are finally giving him a first look at the perfect moment after flirtations this fall with Bachmann, Perry, Cain, and Gingrich. Two caveats, though, one minor and one major. The minor: PPP’s poll published this morning found Santorum stuck at 10 percent, still behind Gingrich and Bachmann. Are their numbers the outlier or are CNN’s? The major: According to the crosstabs, CNN only polled … registered Republicans in Iowa. That means they’re badly underestimating support for Paul, who’s cleaning up among Democrats and independents who are planning to vote in the caucuses.

[campaignPete R-CT]

here is the actual poll CNN today

for both IA and NH
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/12/28/topstate3.pdf

[FreeReign]

Your precious ACU rating says nothing about Newt’s support for amnesty, global warming intervention, or GingrichCare. If you want to bask in the glory years of the Clinton Administration, then be my guest. But I am more interested in where a candidate stands today. And Santorum is far superior to Gingrich when it comes to upholding conservative principles. If Newt Gingrich more closely measures up to your standards than Rick Santorum, then those are standards which we do not share. I’ll take the conservative candidate. You choose whatever candidate you wish.

My top three candidates have been for the past month, Santorum, Bachmann and Newt.

My position, (unlike apparently yours) is to give an honest assessment on all the candidates.

My point to you is that only Bachmann stands head-and-shoulders above Newt when it comes to conservatism. Santorum doesn't.

Let's start with amnesty...

Roll tape....

2011 GOP debate in Simi Valley CA at the Reagan Library , Sep 7, 2011

GINGRICH: [to Santorum]: We should make English the official language of government. We should insist that first-generation immigrants who come here learn American history in order to become citizens. We should also insist that American children learn American history. And then find a way to deal with folks who are already here, some of whom, frankly, have been here 25 years, are married with kids, live in our local neighborhood, go to our church. It's got to be done in a much more humane way than thinking that to automatically deport millions of people.

SANTORUM: My solution is very similar to Newt Gingrich's. We should not have a debate talking about how we don't want people to come to this country, but we want them to come here like my grandfather and my father came here. They made sacrifices. They came in the 1920s. There were no promises. There were no government benefits. They came because they wanted to be free and they wanted to be good law-abiding citizens.

(My bold)

Let's summarize...

Newt mentions his 25-years-and-up amnesty. Santorum doesn't criticize Newt for mentioning his 25-years-and-up amnesty, but instead says that his position is "very similar to New Gingrich's".

[Hoodat]

When Romney has the nomination wrapped-up after Super Tuesday . . .

He won't. Romney will never get past 25%. He won't win in the South. He won't win California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, or New York. And he damn sure won't win Missouri. But I must admit the remainder of your post was quite touching.

[magritte]

I’m in Missouri and last time Romney got 30% of the votes...the only competition he’s going to have is Ron Paul and Rick Perry...he’s going to top 60% at the very least...

[Hoodat]

Thank you for sharing that. I admit that my fuse has grown short as has my tolerance for Gingrich fanatics. I was wrong to have assumed that you were one.

[af_vet_rr]

The numbers show that Ron Paul's support consists of a diverse coalition of Democrats, independents and Republicans. IOW, whatever one may think of Ron Paul, the coalition of supporters backing him is far more diverse than such narrow stereotypes.

And those won't carry over to the general election.

[Theodore R.]

I hope there is a real surge for Rick Santorum, and I hope he is our nominee, and I dare PA to vote him down!

[Theodore R.]

There is no clear-cut alternative at this time to Romney. We are hoping to make Santorum that alternative. It’s all uphill, yes, but he fits the three-stool conservative definition best, and he has less baggage than the others, particularly, Romney, Paul, and Gingrich. I think he should try to campaign in NH, but finances probably won’t permit it, even if he does finish second or third in IA.

[Yaelle]

And what else is there? We need to vote for somebody. Who? Not Romney. Newt is not conservative and definitely not trustworthy. Paul, the nuts anti-Semite??

Santorum could be our guy. With a clear vision for a free America, strong abroad, strong economically, and a vow to fight for the freedoms of all Americans gay and straight, while not supporting a gay agenda, Santorum could beat Obama.

[RKBA Democrat]

“WARNING: If a thread does not favor Gingrich ONLY the title will change and the thread may be moved to bloggers.”

LOL!

[TitansAFC]

Again, do as you all will.

When Romney wins the nomination for the same reason the GOP Establishment pick always wins the nomination, I’m done (and I know I’m not alone).

I have spent my last election trying to talk supporters of the five-percent candidates into a Conservative alternative to the Establishment pick. I surrender, because we cannot win and never will. One day you’ll be in the same position, when your candidate of choice who can actually win gets flanked by the “only true Conservatives” in the race. It will happen; when it does, remember this post.

When Romney wins the nod (and Santorum helps keep him alive through SC and FL), don’t bother telling me about the great V.P. pick so-and-so who gives us all reason to support the Romney/DeMint (or whoever) ticket.

Every single election, EVERY ONE, I fight until I can’t fight anymore only to watch the same movie play out over and over again. When Romney wins, I’m done.

[RKBA Democrat]

“This will help nominate Romney. Split the vote, and he will be the nominee. Period. Seen this one before, and the conservatives live on just long enough to split the South Carolina vote, and let Mitt in. We never learn.”

Yup, but it gets a little worse. By nominating mittens, you increase the chance of a third party challenge by Ron Paul. So the gop not only gets mittens as standard bearer, it loses the general election, too.

Only way I see the gop winning the general is if Ron Paul and mittens work an arrangement.

[JediJones]

Please don’t vote on “baggage.” That’s also known as “letting the media and our opponents pick the candidate for us.” Number one, Santorum hasn’t been vetted. Once Freepers realize he didn’t vote 100% conservative all the time, he’ll be labeled as much of a RINO as anybody. His debate performance puts him squarely at the level of Dan Quayle. He simply does not impress and will not perform favorably next to Obama. He’s fine as a V.P. choice when he only has to debate Biden but not to lead the ticket. More than anything, people will see that he rose in the primaries solely for being a religious social conservative, since he exhibits no other particular talents, which is not the way to win elections in this country anymore, if it ever was.

[JediJones]

Mitt will lose the election all by himself without needing any help from Ron Paul. Why do you think he lost the Senate in 1994 to Kennedy by 17 points the same year Newt swept Republicans into Congress nationwide? Romney had nothing to run on but being a “job creator” but Kennedy savaged him with TV ads that showed Mitt was lucky if he created as many jobs as he destroyed as he raided distressed companies at Bain Capital. Kennedy never even got to use all the ads because he destroyed Mitt’s poll numbers quicker than he even thought he could. Also keep in mind, Massachusetts ranked 47th in job creation during Mitt’s tenure as governor. I’m still trying to figure out WHAT credentials and experience Romney has that anyone thinks will sell in the general election and help him be a good president? I haven’t heard one thing.

[JediJones]

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/276684/mitt-romney-s-job-creation-record-katrina-trinko

September 8, 2011 5:00 P.M.

Mitt Romney’s Job-Creation Record

When he was governor, Massachusetts ranked 47th.

During his tenure as governor from 2003 to 2007, Massachusetts ranked 47th among states for job creation. He’s running on his ability to turn around the flailing economy and boost employment, so this is a statistic that appeals enormously to his opponents.

[BillyBoy]

>> desperately trying to push Gingrich voters toward Santorum. We all know why. <<

I desperately hope Gingrich voters come to their senses and support Santorum too. Gingrich is an even WORSE choice than Romney. If you want to guarantee Obama gets a second term, vote for Newt. The Dems will have a field day if he is the nominee.

[PAConservative1]

We’re screwed unless we unite behind a candidate now. If Romney wins Iowa and New Hampshire it’s all over but the shouting. I’m getting a bad feeling.

[American Constitutionalist]

With all the money that Romney had in 2008, he still could not get the nomination, and some people think that since Newt has $ 10,000,000 that he will get the nomination.

[American Constitutionalist]

" And by “Despised, I mean actual, spitting, vehement HATE, on a scale that would astound you, if you walked in to a major media newsroom. "

And that's a bad thing ? .. it should say something about Rick Santorum that conservatives should take notice instead of the media darlings like Romney and Newt.
Conservatives will rally behind Rick Santorum if the MSM attacks Rick.

[JediJones]

Please...Newt is the ONLY guy who has the communication skills to talk rings around Obama and actually EXPLAIN conservative philosophy to the public in a way that their political correctness-addled brains can understand.

How the other candidates would fare in a debate with Obama...

Santorum - Toast

Bachmann - Sliced and diced

Perry - The comedy sensation of the summer, not in a good way

Romney - He’s almost as nice as Obama! Isn’t Obama nice? I think I’ll vote for that nice Obama fellow.

Huntsman - Ratings drop to 0 as everyone falls asleep

Paul - Viewers pray for Obama to slap him

And Obama’s condition after a debate with Newt?

Obama - Walks away battered, bruised, bloody and crying with his tail between his legs