(Rasmussen Poll) Michigan GOP Primary: Santorum 35%, Romney 32%

Rasmussen ^ | 2/14/12 | staff

[TexasFreeper2009]

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, following his wins last week in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri, has now jumped ahead of Mitt Romney in Michigan's Republican Primary race.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters in Michigan shows Santorum with 35% of the vote to Romney’s 32%. Well behind are Texas Congressman Ron Paul with 13% and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 11%. Only one percent (1%) prefers some other candidate in the race, while eight percent (8%) are undecided.

[techno]

Today from Quinnpiac polling:

OHIO

Santorum 36%

Romney 29%

Gingrich 20%

Paul 9%

[ConservativeDude]

That is a good analysis. I agree with it, really, in its entirety. If Santorum were to win, it would be cause of “Reagan Democrats” and he does have a chance there.

I think one of the questions is, interestingly, will the Santorum campaign simply have the discipline to continually re-focus on the real issues, even as the obama camp and the media (redundant...) throw out the contraception. He will have to be very resistant to their psy ops here. Perhaps a seasoned, tough, conservative running mate would help here. But there isn’t really one of those around, except Cheney, and I don’t think he’d be up for another.....

In any event, excellent post. And, incidentally, I hope your guys pulls out a victory in Maine....

[b4its2late]

Of course they would. They are attacking each other now. Once the primaries are over, it’ll be forgotten in 3 weeks or so, and they’ll rise above it.

[NorthernCrunchyCon]

I’m in the same boat. I started off in the Paul camp because of his stand on personal liberty (I’m in U.P. Michigan and see what’s going on across the border in Canada) and abortion (I trust an obgyn to remain pro-life, more than I trust a politician to do so), but with Santorum a close second.

But with everything else going on, I think it’s time for social conservatives in the Paul and Newt camps to rally to Santorum in order to to stop Romney.

[FerociousRabbit]

I can’t disagree with you. Obama has changed the debate, intentionally, to social issues. This takes the public’s eye off the economy and soaring national debt. As a result, Obama has risen in the polls to the point of being favored for reelection. Social issues energize his base and take the Republican’s biggest weapon, fiscal matters, completely off the table (as far as what is reported on the news). That is why Georgie kept bringing up the (at the time) non-issue of contraception during the January debate. They were fishing for soundbites to use against the eventual nominee in the general election. (As an aside — it is disgusting how the MSM colludes in advance with the White House in the debates. The White House actually got to pose the questions. That is now undeniable.)

Santorum plays perfectly into this strategy. Don’t get me wrong, if Santorum is the nominee I will support him with enthusiasm. I would much prefer Gingrich (whom I beleive has an actual, workable plan for recovery). But the bear traps are being set for the Republicans who are blindly walking into them.

[KansasGirl]

Santorum should stay focused on the economy and debt crisis. I think the best strategy for him would be to say, “Yes, I am pro-life. I believe that life begins at conception and that killing is immoral. I will always defend the most helpless among us. Now, the left in this country, including Obama, thinks that makes me unfit for office. I think most Americans would disagree. I think most Americans would prefer President who defends life than one so radically pro-abortion and so in the pocket of pro-abortion groups that he opposed the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. A bill that passed the U.S. Senate 98-0.”

[AFPhys]

“...understand how President of the United States in elected. So let’s do a quick review, shall we?

First, please tell me which state Rick Santorum would lose that John McCain carried, ...”

-—<>-—<>-—<>-—<>-—<>-—

Most excellent post, and proposal. I am sure that Zero’s crew is looking very hard at which states might possibly be swung from red to blue, but I agree that is quite a stretch if our candidate keeps his eye on the ZeroCare and economy balls, and at every opportunity belittles people who try to get him to talk about contraception or other canards and refocuses on issues that are real.

[Darren McCarty]

If Romney and his establishment backers were really concerned about Santorum why would they be focused on attacking Newt in Michigan with another new blitzkrieg campaign?

The actual ads today I saw in Michigan were against Santorum, not Newt.

[kindred]

I can not believe that conservatives would ever support a flip flopping rino liberal like Romney unless they were rino liberals who have infiltrated the once conservative GOP.

[Lexinom]

Even entertaining the ludicrous notion that anyone would ban contraception:

Hmmm, ban contraception or destroy the country... ban contraception or destroy the country... That's a tough one!

</sarc>

[hinckley buzzard]

You are right to be worried. Santorum is extremely vulnerable to the very attack you imagine. Indeed it has already begun.