Romney opens 21-point lead in South Carolina: Reuters/Ipsos(sample 995 SC reg. voters 398R 380D)

Reuters ^ | Saturday January 14, 2012 | Jeff Mason

[Bigtigermike]

(Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has opened a wide lead over his rivals in the South Carolina primary election race, trouncing Newt Gingrich and gaining momentum in his march toward the party's nomination, a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, could all but quash his rivals' presidential aspirations with a victory in South Carolina on January 21 after winning the first state-by-state nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Voters in South Carolina - who have favored Republicans in nine of the last 10 presidential elections - appear to have shrugged off attacks on Romney by rivals who accuse him of killing jobs as a private equity executive for Bain Capital in the 1990s.

The poll showed 37 percent of South Carolina Republican voters back Romney. Congressman Ron Paul and former Senator Rick Santorum tied for second place with 16 percent support.

Gingrich, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, has fallen far back after holding a strong lead in South Carolina in December. He was in fourth place at 12 percent in the Reuters/Ipsos poll.

[Windflier]

I was warning people that this was in the cards. But, nobody listened.

What? No one listened when you brayed all over the place about some worthless internet push poll, or your other harebrained theories? Gee, I wonder why.

All you do is run around this site cheer leading for Rick Santorum, who's been nothing but a second tier candidate without a prayer, since the beginning of the race. And now you're all over the place claiming that Santorum's "winning", when he's clearly sinking back to the bottom of the pack.

I chuckle in your general direction.

[Kenny]

I do worry that we won’t be able to stop Obama. If not, we’re done. All the ground troops know that but the movers and shakers are oblivious.

[BenKenobi]

Nobody listens because in their world, Newt is 20 points ahead of Mitt and the road is clear.

If only those annoying Rick fans would quit and drop out and back Newt Gingrich, if only they would come to their senses, Newt would win and we’d ride to victory.

I happen to be a voice in the wilderness arguing that there is another option. You don’t have to settle on Newt. You CAN have the conservative.

You ignore evidence you don’t like, and refuse to take in evidence that is contrary to what you believe. Which is fine. You don’t like this poll, ok. Then why is Santorum showing up 2nd?

Why is it only NEWT and nobody else that is hurt by the poll?

What’s going on here?

[sushiman]

At least you’ll get 40% of what you want with Romney , instead of minus 25% from Obama .

[Windflier]

We need somebody who can attract Hillary voters. like Rick Santorum. not Romney

Now there's some twisted logic. If all you want is someone with an R behind their name to win, you may as well vote for Romney. Sheeesh!

[Psalm 144]

“...if there is a GOP left after the consequences of a Romney nomination become clear (I think there will not be)...”

I agree. Very few do. Nevertheless, I think this will be their bridge to far. The GOP corpse will fall on top of the brittle bones of the Whigs.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

You good folks just don’t get it. Mitt Romney is not giving Newt Gingrich a beating. It is Newt Gingrich that made the bed he is now is now sleeping in. The poor fellow has some unbalance problems and does not know it!!! No person would have pulled what Gingrich has if they had a grip on reality!!! No, ladies & gentlemen, Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry are not the “Ones”!!! That so many Freepers cannot grasp this is frightening!!! Newt is no conservative, period!!! They should join Obama and Company. They fit right in with all the lefties!!!

[apocalypto]

I am hoping for a R. Santorum surge. If the poll is accurate, it is thanks to the stupid acts of Newt Gringrich and Perry.

[Christie at the beach]

You come across as though it seems you are only hoping that he is done.

[Psalm 144]

“Pubbies ain’t gonna turn out for Mitt.”

Pubbies will. Conservatives will not. Probably not many libertarians either.

[Old Sarge]

An online poll from al-Reuters, that admits a good bit of the respondents were Leftists.

And of course, they’re pimping Willard, ensuring the second crowning of the Kenyan Muslim.

[patriot08]

“Newt is done. Stick a fork in him.

Time to get behind Santorum.”

______________________________________

Before we all get on Santorum’s band wagon, we need to know what his voting record is.

This is just some of the worst of it:

RICK SANTORUM

VOTED AGAINST INCREASING THE NUMBER OF IMMIGRATION INVESTIGATORS
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00201

VOTED TO ALLOW ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO RECEIVE THE EARNED INCOME CREDIT BEFORE BECOMING CITIZENS
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00154

VOTED TO GIVE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=105&session=1&vote=00058

SANTORUM: TRIM SOCIAL SECURITY NOW- EVEN IF PAINFUL.http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j7O34Bpp42k-IlMMNiOLBkYF2zNw?docId=b1cff9ecefe24ca6ae1764a09761e361

VOTED TO GIVE WELFARE BENEFITS TO NATURALIZED CITIZENS without regard to to the earnings of their sponsors
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=104&session=1&vote=00427

VOTED AGAINST HIRING AN ADDITIONAL 1,000 BORDER PATROL AGENTS, paid for by reductions in state grants.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00179

VOTED AGAINST FOOD STAMP REFORM
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00353

VOTED AGAINST MEDICAID REFORM
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00352

VOTED TO INCREASE THE SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT FROM $1 BILLION to $2 BILLION
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=106&session=1&vote=00302

VOTED TO RAID SOCIAL SECURITY instead of using surpluses to pay down the debt.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=106&session=2&vote=00056

VOTED TO IMPOSE A UNIFORM FEDERAL MANDATE ON STATES TO FORCE THEM TO ALLOW CONVICTED RAPISTS, ARSONISTS, DRUG KINGPINS AND ALL OTHER EX-CONVICTS TO VOTE IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00031

It’s going to be Romney or Newt or by a slim chance, Santorum.

VOTED AGAINST INCREASING THE NUMBER OF IMMIGRATION INVESTIGATORS?
VOTED TO GIVE WELFARE BENEFITS TO NATURALIZED CITIZENS?
VOTED AGAINST HIRING AN ADDITIONAL 1,000 BORDER PATROL AGENTS?
VOTED AGAINST FOOD STAMP REFORM?
VOTED AGAINST MEDICAID REFORM?

People NEED to know this about Santorum’s voting record.

Newt is NOT my first choice, and I can’t say I like him that much.
I just feel it will take a man of Newt’s bravery, (yes, bravery. Newt’s right. The others are too timid to debate Obama) intellect, experience and debating skills to bring the Marxist/Muslim down.
Have we all forgotten his smack-downs of his RINO opponents and the Obama butt-licking interviewers?
All agree he’s the most intelligent, experienced and the most skilled at debating- even the Obama loving Media.

Obama is going to have a billion dollars in this campaign fund, the commie MSM in his back pocket, he’ll use the same same voter fraud methods, and illegal overseas contributiions as he did in ‘08.
Do you think the rats are going to let the commie coup they they have hoped for for generations slip through their fingers??
The fight is going to be the hardest fought and the dirtiest in U.S history.
We have GOT to have a STRONG man with the experience, intellect and debating skills to go up against Obama- or America is doomed.

.

[BenKenobi]

I warned that a substantial portion of Newt’s support was moderates and independents.

Of course, I also looked at the actual data in Iowa and New Hampshire before coming to that conclusion.

Santorum’s support is conservative. Almost all of it. No indies, no moderates.

By having all the solid conservatives push Santorum, we can get our support behind the conservative. Pushing Newt - doesn’t really help us, because when the Moderates break for Romney, we’re left holding the bag.

Which is what’s happened here.

I know the oversample is a problem. What is puzzling to me is that Newt is the only one hurt by the oversample. If Santorum’s getting 40 percent of those who are the conservatives, Newt gets 20 percent, Paul gets 10 and Romney gets 30, then not exactly good news for Newt is it?

[Windflier]

I’m putting my faith in Iowa.

Good for you.

"History since 1976 has shown us that if the candidate is not the incumbent president, unless the incumbent President is serving his second term, if the said candidate wins the Iowa Caucus for his party, he USUALLY does not win his party's nomination but NEVER becomes President of the United States.

Since 1976, only two candidates who won the Iowa Caucus for their parties ever became the President of the United States. They were George W. Bush in 2000, and Barack Obama in 2008; however, had either of the incumbent presidents, Bill Clinton or President Bush, respectively, not been serving their second terms, neither Candidate Bush nor Barack Obama would have won their general elections for the President of the United States, history shows."

2012 Iowa Republican Caucus winner won't become president, history shows

[ConservativeDude]

I think (since we are offering opinions here) that Romney is going to walk away with the nomination.

Then, most likely, lose the general.

Because obama is so completely loathed by a large percentage, he might run a close race.

But obama is going to eat Romney alive I fear.

The American Spectator piece on why he was a weak general candidate was pretty devastating.

[Christie at the beach]

Glad that this is all cleared up.

[BenKenobi]

I’ll chalk it up to O for 2012 with Romney.

No point in Cons turning out.

I want to see what happened with the republicans in this poll.

[BenKenobi]

And congressmen don’t become president.

[yield 2 the right]

This is making me NOT vote this year.....

[xzins]

This particular poll is so invalid that it screams “fake” to anyone who even begins to look

It is simply registered voters. It is not likely voters. It is not likely republican voters

Also the sample is HALF democrats and HALF republicans in a poll for the republican primary

Finally, it is an “online” poll.

And they’re pushing this as valid?

They are on drugs.