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.
Pardon me, I'm trying not to ROTFL. Free Republic has gone through so many migrations, and the funny part is that the people that leave so often think that their passing will doom FR.
There's something about FR, people always come back to it, with it's free-wheeling saloon atmosphere - except, of course, when the latest round of pesky moderators are driving us nuts.:)
It's home base, and nothing will take it's place. Do you know of a better alternative website? I don't, and I've been looking around since 1998.
“I dont get why this is so controversial on FR.”
You have been gently promoting Romney since at least December of 2006, you must have noticed the level of dislike for him here at FR, there is a reason why he is at about 6% on a conservative site.
It is predictable that conservatives will react strongly to the claim that Romney is their natural choice.
Correct-o-mundo!
DH=
I do agree that DH is conservative, however; he's just not electable nationwide.
I agree.
It ends up making any mention of Duncan being related to those fights. Too bad to because both Duncan and one of his sons are Freepers.
“The problem here isnt Hunter, its a few people who support Hunter make it a hobby to trash the few other Conservatives in the race, thinking for some reason, it will help Duncan.”
I agree, I always thought that the Hunter-Thompson supporters were pretty interchangeable.
I am still under the impression that at some point the Hunter supporters will make an easy, uncomplaining switch over to Fred when Duncan formally drops out.
1960: Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge (MA)
1964: Congressman William Miller (NY)
1968: Sen. Edmund Muskie (ME)
1972: Peace Corp Director R. Sargent Shriver, Jr.
1976: Sen. Bob Dole (KS)
1980: former Sen. Walter Mondale (MN)
1984: Rep. Geraldine Ferraro (NY)
1988: Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (TX)
1992: former Sen. Dan Quayle (IN)
1996: former Rep. Jack Kemp (NY)
2000: Sen. Joe Lieberman (CT)
2004: Senator John Edwards (NC)
The only two losing VP candidates to win their party's nomination were Bob Dole and Walter Mondale. We know how well those presidential campaigns turned out.
I’m glad I didn’t ping this toxic thread. It’s like the gnats are a tag team.
Why is ok for Thompson to be belittled, but not Hunter?
Nope, they will piss and moan that their guy never got a chance, everyone is against a real conservative, blah blah blah.
Rudy is the only one who can beat Hillary because he is the only one willing to stick it to her.
This race will get down and dirty and while Mitt is the best man for the job he doesn’t have the stomach to do what it will take to get down in the mud with Hillary.
This election is about stopping Hillary, pure and simple.
John
“Gently promoting?” More like “attempting not to automatically disqualify.” He deserves at least that much. He’s not McCain.
Agreed, FR will always have a place in my web browsing routine. The difference these days is how often I participate, and in what threads. I stick to the sports and tech threads these days.
Yeah, that government healthcare in Mass. was real conservative.
I don’t recall it being this bad in ‘04, but our candidate was already set in stone at the time, so you have an excellent point.
Who said it was
I don’t think Romney would take a VP slot if he though they would lose. Rather than help him with his Mormon problem and liberal past problem, a losing VP run would forever cement those things as the reasons Romney can’t win.
Where’s Duncan Hunter in this poll?
I really admire the ability to get to the bottom line, and you just did.
It's a shame that we have no white knight, if one ever existed, but whoever heads the Republican ticket has to have the ability to put up with whatever Hillary will be throwing against him.
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