Posted on 03/01/2012 8:40:57 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Conventional wisdom, and conventional hand-wringing, has this cycle’s tough primary fight eroding Republican enthusiasm for the general election against Barack Obama. Late last year, that seemed to be the case, as Republicans went from a +13 in enthusiasm in October to a +5 in December. However, the latest Gallup survey shows that enthusiasm has begun to rise among Republicans — and remains flat among Democrats:
By 53% to 45%, Republicans, including independents who lean Republican, are slightly more likely than Democrats and Democratic leaners to say they are “more enthusiastic than usual about voting” this year. Republicans have consistently led Democrats in voting enthusiasm since last fall, but to varying degrees.
Not only has enthusiasm rebounded, it’s significantly higher than at this stage of the 2008 cycle:
The 53% of Republicans who feel more enthusiastic about voting today — as Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are engaged in a pitched nomination battle — is greater than the 44% found in February 2008 when John McCain and Mike Huckabee were still dueling in the primaries.
Gallup points out that this is still nowhere near Democratic voter enthusiasm in 2008, which was at an astronomical 79%. That, however, was mainly due to the prospect of ridding themselves of the hated George W. Bush and passion for the historic candidacies of both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Four years later, Democratic enthusiasm can’t get above 45% in the last six months to defend Barack Obama, and gets nowhere near the 59% enthusiasm in 2004 when Kerry was sailing to the nomination in an ultimately unsuccessful candidacy.
The primary has not eroded Republican enthusiasm. Voters may not be terribly satisfied with the choices presented in this cycle, but as the general election comes closer, Republicans appear to be gaining enthusiasm for beating Obama.
If you were under the opinion that John McCain was difficult to support as a Conservative, you ain’t seen nothing yet. As such, a Romney nomination will turn much of the enthusiasm to indifference.
If you wonder what a Romney general election campaign would look like, look no further than his last general election in MA.
If Romney is to be the direction of the Republican Party, it’s third party time.
I can not confirm that. Nor do I care.
But, you do care because your post tried to shut up any posters who dared question his qualifications.
Any post that says ‘here come the dumbasses’ attempts to shut people up on the topic.
Another four years of Obama and we lose the Supreme Court for the rest of our lives!
Presidents we can vote out every four years....eight years tops!But the judges they pick affect us long after their time in the oval office is over!
I realize that with Romney,judges are AT BEST a 50-50 shot!
With Obama,there's a 100% chance of more Kagans and wide Latinas!
We can take the Senate and keep the House,but if history is any indicator,the GOP will roll over and confirm whatever Barry sends to them,so the ONLY way to stop Obama from getting more Kagans or Sotomayors on the court is to get Obama OUT OF THE WHITEHOUSE!
Wake up people, we have ONE chance to right this thing or at the very least stop the death spiral we are in. Vote Republican even if that Rep is a broken lamp. Anyone or anything will be better for America then what we have now. Plus with a Republican wine ANY Rep win we will more then likely take the Senate due to the customary coat tail effect.
By all means support your primary favorite but if you lose, please do not do something as stupid and destructive as staying home. It would make you look like the kid who took is ball and went home because he didn't get the position he wanted on the team.
This has always been the key to winning.
You sound like a Liberal who only talks to others on his block and thinks everyone thinks as do you.
Trust me they don't. I personally know Gingrich, Romney, Cain and Santorum supporters and to a one they will vote for whomever is the nominee. They will do so because, unlike folks like you, they seem to SEE the danger of this president remaining in office another 4 years.
I'd vote for a dead dog over that halfrican, mooselimb, communist prick, but I promised my wife that I'd tone down my comments about barack huessein obama, mmm, mmm mmm.
Gonna need at least 20% to overcome the fraud.
I think of it more as avoiding a disaster than a change in direction. Hey if he doesn't keep his promises, we can primary him 4. Nothing..... I repeat nothing is as bad as obama with a nothing-to-lose second term.
Notice how Gallup seems to try to downplay the GOP voters’ eight point enthusiasm margin by calling it a “slight” lead.
Rubio was born in 1971. His father was naturalized in 1975.
How on Earth can a successful businessman named Cohen thing that Barack Hussein Obama is the best available president? It is like chickens voting for the red fox because he is so handsome.
I don’t trust polls.
I’ll see if this remains true in November. That’s the only poll that counts!! Everything else is just BS passing for news.
a Romney nomination will turn much of the enthusiasm to indifference.
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I do NOT like RINO-Rom, but I’d crawl over broken glass to vote for a sh** eating, one-eyed dog to get Obozo out of the White House.
Thank you for your Post #6. It is so refreshing to see someone post something on here that is edifying and encouraging.
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