Posted on 03/19/2012 3:38:09 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney may lead in delegates and Rick Santorum might have momentum, but neither of the two leading Republican presidential candidates is having an easy time exciting even his own voters.
Out of a dozen states where voters in the GOP contest have been polled, most Romney voters have said they strongly favor him in just five of them. A majority of Santorum voters felt that committed to him only four times out of 11 states where he was on the ballot and voters were surveyed.
Each man is struggling to consistently spark the intensity that could separate him from the pack.
Consider that Arizona is the only state where Romney had a higher proportion of voters expressing strong feelings about him than his rivals did. And Santorum hasn't had that edge in any state yet, despite an animated campaign style and passion for hot-button social issues like contraception that have contrasted with Romney's stiffer, more analytic manner.
On average, 50 percent of Romney voters and 49 percent of Santorum's say they strongly favor their candidate, with the rest expressing reservations about their man or a greater dislike for his rivals, according to entrance and exit polls of voters in 12 states.
When it comes to winning fervent devotion from his own supporters, both men trail former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Rep. Ron Paul. Those two GOP presidential campaigns are lagging but 58 percent of Gingrich's backers and 53 percent of Paul's, on average, say they strongly favor their candidate. Analysts say higher percentages of devoted supporters are common with candidates whose lesser backing leaves them with only the most committed followers...........
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Goodmorning CW:) I am not inspired by either one of them. This has been the election year from hell.
Good morning! It seems the Romney/Santorum voters are experiencing a bit of indigestion after voting for the “inevitable” and the “non-Romney” who isn’t viable unless the path is cleared for him.
Newt is the firewall keeping the Establishment from rolling over us before the convention. And the GOP-e knows it. Time to fan the rise of Gingrich and a conservative uprising.
IF Romney had spent as much on smear attacks on Santorum as he did Newt..Santorum would be polling in single digits. The gop E knew that Newt was the real threat.
Thanks Newt for helping the only candidate (not counting the Nut) who can't beat Obama.
Spending your last millions on smearing Santorum in the Northern states is a nice touch as well—both you and Ron Paul will be remembered by posterity as Big Ross and Little Ross Perot.
Newt is the only one I’ve stood and cheered for this round. Romney is awful and Santorum is boring. I HAVE been excited when Santo has won because it skunked Mitt but I was never able to get through a whole Santo speech.
Newt is probably unelectable this round, though.
Not a good field at all for the GOP.
Only themselves to blame, though.
Your right .
Newt needs to call it a day .
Once his billionaire bails its all over .
When neither of those candidates stand for much of anything beyond the hope from their supporters that they win just to teach the other side a lesson, what else should anyone expect?
“Newt is so mad at Mitt Romney for Florida he is making sure Mitt wins the nomination by splitting the conservative vote AND by giving Romney the appearance of inevitability so that the lions’ shares of campaign donations will continue to go to the Mass RINO.”
Okay...
2) There is nothing inspiring or trustworthy about what the repubic party has become or the sorry three excuses for politicians that they have conspired into the mix. Newt is the best of the three... I could vote for Santorum but he is a weak sister. romney is as bad as obama and worse if you give him a cooperative and progressive republican Senate. We already know that boehner and cantor are progressive and they will work with romney to pass things that they would block from obama. Think SUPER COMMITTEE!
3) Conservatives have each other and GOD... we have no party save the TEA Party, we have no elected representation in DC and we have no true candidate. Newt is as close as we are going to get to one this time unless... and who thinks that corruption and evil will not triumph at a contested Convention?
LLS
It sweet reading your pouty notes every day excusing Rick for being a lack-luster candidate. If he can't win on his own merit he will not win in Nov.
No, he's putting the brakes to a Romney win and giving the base hope for a "discussion" at the convention.
It’s about time we stop rolling over for the Establishment.
Neither Romney or Santorum are equipped to undo the damage that we have witnessed for the past 3 years.
Who will they choose for their ‘hatchet’ men and women; in the Cabinet?
How will they dismantle and abolish the Federal agencies that are dysfunctional or overreaching?
How much experience does either one have for dealing with Congress?
Impotence is not a winning strategy.
I agree.. it`s the worst GOP field I`ve ever seen.
What makes this tragic is Obama was so damned beatable. But the toxic avenger Romney poisoned the waters and they all turned on each other.
As things stand now, the GOP candidates aren`t Obama`s opponents.. they`re his entertainment.
This year, the heavy hitters remained on the sidelines while leaving a gaggle of retreads to pick from. What a friggin` shame.
Newt has made change and as president he will again.
UNLIKE Rick and Mitt, Newt Gingrich didn't rest on his laurels complaining about the liberal political landscape of his state. Newt CHANGED the political landscape in GA (as he did in Washington), brought Democrats into the party, rallied people to get involved in politics -- all by pushing conservatism.
________________________________________
"ATLANTA — It wasn't so long ago that the Republican Party in Georgia was just an afterthought, and Democrats were in firm control of all the levers of state government. Back then, Newt Gingrich and other die-hard GOP stalwarts ventured across the state with the far-fetched message that Republicans could reverse the tide.
Now with commanding majorities in the Statehouse and control of all statewide offices, Gingrich is hoping his vision for how the GOP could overcome decades of Democratic dominance in Georgia will pay dividends. He sorely needs a victory when his home state votes Tuesday, along with a big chunk of its 76 delegates, to prove his stumbling presidential bid has staying power.
Many Republican figures in Georgia still credit him with championing conservative policies, outlining a framework for what a GOP majority in the state could accomplish and broadcasting talking points to a generation of up-and-coming conservative leaders. He's also applauded for lobbying conservative Democrats, like then-Rep. Nathan Deal, to switch parties.
"Everyone else was trying to lose as slowly as possible, and to die with dignity at the Alamo. He was talking confidently that the Republican majority in Georgia, in the South and nationally was right around the corner," said Ralph Reed, a veteran Georgia GOP operative who founded the national Faith and Freedom Coalition. "On the one hand it was crazy, but on the other it was just the most exciting thing you've ever heard.".....................In Ga., Gingrich helped build conservative base
But if Newt has his way they will be either voting for Mitt or staying home.
Newt is an expert on what realpolitik is and yet hasn't a clue how or refuses out of petulant recalcitrance, to employ it.
Its gotterdamurung for him—if he can't win it the nation deserves to go down in flames with him.
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