“And don’t give me this “don’t understand the south.” I lived there for many years, playing a circuit from NO to Pascagoula to Baton Rouge to Tampa. What perhaps you don’t understand is that the south is changing and isn’t nearly as “red” as it used to be, esp. in FL, VA, and NC.”
“Umm, honesty? For Fred to ONLY have a 19 point lead over a northeasterner in Georgia is pretty sad.”
A 39% to 20% lead is huge anywhere. If you think 39 to 20 is not a strong lead in the South, you don’t understand it. Republicans typically win southern states with around 55% - 60% of the vote. It’s no surprise that Giuliani’s 9/11 appeal would attract half as many votes as Fred, among Republicans or all voters.
And, Florida’s not changing so much as it’s always been up for grabs. Clinton won it, then the 2000 separation of a few hundred votes, then W won it by a much wider margin in 2004. Let’s not forget the personal appeal of individual candidates is still a factor. Virginia might be changing, but that’s not certain yet. Robb was a Democrat, and both parties have elected governors and senators over the past couple of decades, almost alternately.
North Carolina still elected John Edwards not so long ago, but now has two Republican senators. It might still be tilting more conservative. Many of those who move to the South are trying to get away from ultra-liberal states. They don’t all vote Dem.
I’m not at all concerned about these polls matching Republican candidates against Hillary. Many voters haven’t focused much on the primaries yet, and the general election is still more than a year away. Remember President Dukakis’ 17 point lead after his nominating convention? Those polls are some of the most useless around at this stage. When people actually do focus on two nominated candidates, and watch the two debate, we’ll be beyond early impressions and dealing with more considered opinions of only two candidates, one of whom will actually become the president. Right now these polls are as much name recognition as anything else, and Rudy is the best known Republican candidate because of 9/11.
The plunge in W’s popularity and his insulting and divisive amnesty for illegals push has divided the party and alienated many voters. Once voters are focusing on a new Republican presidential candidate, hopefully the damage done by Bush and Rove will not attach to that new candidate, but it’s hurting all Republicans in those Republican/Hillary polls.
If it’s winner take all, yes, a 19 point lead is insurmountable. But if it’s proportional, my point is that even winning 30% of a state’s delegates in GA is huge for Rudy, considering that Fred isn’t going to win 10% of, say, NY’s or CA’s delegates. It’s the total numbers, not the size of the win, that’s important.