Posted on 09/14/2007 3:15:19 PM PDT by Pistolshot
Friday, September 14, 2007
Republican voters continue to see Fred Thompson as the most politically conservative candidate in the GOP Presidential field. Mitt Romney is not too far behind while most Republican voters see John McCain and Rudy Giuliani as politically moderate.
A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 48% of Republican voters view Thompson as politically conservative while 42% have that perception of Romney. Just 33% of Republican voters see McCain as politically conservative and 25% hold that view of Giuliani.
Looked at from the other perspective, 68% see Giuliani as moderate or liberal while 58% of Republicans say the same of McCain. Romney is viewed as moderate or liberal by 39% of GOP voters and 31% say the same about Thompson.
Those perceptions are similar to the way Republican voters saw the candidates a month ago. The biggest shift is a seven-point increase in the number of Republicans who see Romney as politically conservative.
The race for the Republican nomination is very fluid with Thompson and Giuliani holding the top two positions for several months. While Thompson is seen as more ideologically in synch with the conservative-leaning party, Giuliani is seen as the most electable Republican candidate.
Thompson has enjoyed a nice bounce in the polls since formally entering the race.
For most of this year, Giuliani has also been far and away the most popular Republican candidate. Now, however, 68% of Republican voters have a favorable opinion of Giuliani and 64% say the same about Thompson. Those figures include 26% with a Very Favorable opinion of Giuliani and 28% with a Very Favorable opinion of Thompson.
Interestingly, while Thompson is seen as the most conservative candidate by Republican voters, the perception is a bit different among all voters. Forty-one percent (41%) of all voters see Romney as politically conservative. Thirty-eight percent (38%) see Thompson as conservative and 33% see McCain in that way. Just 25% of all voters see Giuliani as a conservative.
Data on the ideological perceptions of leading Democratic candidates has also been released today. Other key stats are continuously updated for all Republican and Democratic candidates.
You've been on FR since 2003 and you don't know what a Republican piss-fight is all about?:)
There will be no holds barred until after the conventions in 2008 and we're stuck with whichever Republicans win. Then we all get together and work to defeat whichever Dem candidates are running, which at this point looks like a Hillary-Osama ticket (which should scare the hell out of anyone). The more things change......
That minority would be in the poll, where the above was all there was to chose from.
Sadly, you’re right. FR’s really changed since I joined. I think illegal immigration has cracked a lot of people up.
After 2006, I’m not sure about the “get together and work to defeat whichever Dem candidates are running” part. People seem more interested in cutting off the nose to spite the face.
Most conservatives do not know who Duncan Hunter is. I like Hunter, however it is nobody's fault but his that hardly anyone knows his name. It is certainly NOT Rasmussen's fault.
see #44
My reaction as well!
Senator Fred, I am mystified as to where these conservative credentials emanate. I see from your voting record that you voted yea for McCain-Feingold Bill, you voted NOT to convict in the Impeachment proceeding for President Bill Clinton, you recently referred to the WOT as a “criminal matter”. I see a strong position on the 2nd Amendment, and otherwise I see another Big Government Republican. I am sure some one will correct me if I am wrong.
You don’t see Duncan listed because the lamestream media is ignoring him, the article verifys that.
If you look at the source article, and its’ previous month’s listing shows that the number of the surveyed GOP voters who believe the candidate is Conservative or Moderate or Liberal must total at least 50% or they exclude the candidate from the list. In the previous month, Huckabee, just off the Iowa straw poll had a little over 50% who had an opinion of him, and he was included. Apparently the total for Huckabee dropped below 50% this month, and none of the other candidates had 50% of the voters having an opinion of them either month.
A minimum amount of recognition is required to be included this poll result.
I don’t believe that either of them supported Reagan primary efforts (where real conservatives were working). If they did, they’ve been very quiet about it.
Yes, Duncan has been a government employee as early as the seventies when he was serving as a paratrooper and later with a Ranger company in Vietnam. Mitt, Fred and Rudy were very carful to avoid that type of government work!
Actually things are about the same as they were the last time there was an open GOP presidential choice (2000), but you were not here then. Civil wars are the nastiest -- brother against brother you know.
It is too soon to know anything. I confess I did not know Thompson had non Hodgkins lymphoma. I am surprised he would run with it. There is no possible way the Democrats will ignore it and they will assuredly point to Paul Tsongas, who had cancer and looked healthy while running for president in 1992 and died in 1997.
Romney is not more conservative than Duncan Hunter. I suspect Hunter did not make the cutoff for consideration.
We must let time pass and watch the money. Money will eventually tell the tale.
So, open your eyes, put on your glasses, and set aside your pre-determined point of view.
Yes, and the also-rans better get behind the LEADER.
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