No, I/A is not the only poll that has Newt within single digits. A new PPP poll taken Sat. & Sun. has Mitt up by 7 points, 39 to 32. Paul gained 2 pts, Santorum and Romney each dropped 1, while Newt stayed in place. The implication is that Romney has peaked in Florida, and voters are beginning to grow weary of his negative attack ads.
Interesting that nearly all of Romney’s entire Florida lead comes from the votes of moderates (58-15 over Newt). the problem for new is that Mitt is up 12 point among those who voted early. To overcome that early lead, Newt would have to win by 6 or 7 points on Election day.
Newt has 5 events Monday with Michael Reagan campaigning with him on a whirlwind tour of the state (Jacksonville, Pensacola, Tampa, Fort Meyers and Orlando).
The last 48 hours are usually the biggest movement and the undecideds go against the establishment candidate. This is far from over. It will come down to how well Newt sells himself over the nest 24 hours.
Pray for America
Newt should make this offer to Santorum:
If Rick calls on his voters to vote Newt on Tuesday, and Newt wins, Newt will split the 50 FL delegates with him 25 apiece.
As it stands now neither of them will get any delegates and Romney will get all 50. Instead, if Rick thinks strategically he can pick up 25 delegates. He’ll be 2nd behind Newt with 31 to Newt’s 54. Romney will be 3rd with 15.
Newt and Rick can then fight it out in upcoming states. But for both campaigns, Newt beating Romney is the best thing. Santorum can make it happen, or at least a much better chance of it happening.
It’s a very good deal for Rick. He gets 25 delegates more than he stands to get. He gets the gratitude and thanks of tons of conservatives and tea partiers, he becomes a hero.
If you know anyone in the Newt campaign, make this suggestion to them and pass it on. It could be a game-changer and really turn this around.
Here’s a link to the scene from Scent of a Woman where Al Pacino gives his “If I was the man I was 5 years ago, I’d take a flamethrower to this place!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xgQIokLsDI at around 2:55
I think that’s the attitude Newt needs to have towards DC. He needs to show that passion that he’s going to root out the establishment-of both parties. That he’s running to give power back to the people, not to the elites. He’s not running so the same old crowd that was in charge under W can come riding back in. He’s running so a brand new crowd can saddle up and ride herd. He’s not running to return the establishment to power, he’s running to remove them from power and replace them.
Making that anti-establishment theme explicit and running on it and showing that passion a la Pacino would be a good start.