Can Gingrich Win Over Social Conservatives?

National Review ^ | November 18, 2011 | staff

[BarnacleCenturion]

Richard Land, director of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, is more skeptical, saying that Gingrich’s candidacy will be a “hard sell” for many voters. Land has been doing informal focus groups among Southern Baptists for the past two years on Gingrich’s candidacy, as he expected Gingrich to run and be a serious contender. He found that women are especially wary of Gingrich.

“He’s got a gender problem,” Land says. “His toughest audience is going to be evangelical women. Evangelical men, depending on what Newt does and says, are more likely to give him the benefit of the doubt.” Women, on the other hand, have told Land that they would vote for Gingrich “under no circumstances.” If the general election comes down to Gingrich and Obama, they say, they may just not vote.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Only if they are as stupid as he thinks they are.

[Joe Boucher]

as conservative as is Mitt.

[Lazlo in PA]

Social Conservatives? I think he may have issue with Fiscal ones as well since all of his ideas start with some sort of Gov’t involvement.

[org.whodat]

Same results as mccain, nothing new about that, but I do not beleieve the story.

[Carry_Okie]

Only as a last alternative to Romney. Gingrich is intelligent, but can be very stupid in action.

[not2worry]

No.....Heck NO

[C. Edmund Wright]

Well lets see....he’s gone way up in the polls while Bachmann, Cain and Perry have gone down and while Palin announced she isn’t running.

With apologies to Richard Land, whose political IQ I highly question, he already has won some of them over.

[SIDENET]

We'll probably get a Newt/Mitt ticket.

(barfing)

[BenKenobi]

Given that he’s polling well in areas that Mitt polled well, I’d suggest the opposite. The establishment is deciding they want Newt.

[RWGinger]

so what can he do as POTUS?
legalize abortion?

we hve really serious financial issues that have to be addressed NOW
Of course I would rather my POTUS be firmly prolife
but that won’t be a deal breaker compared to what 0dumbo is doing to our country.
if newt is the nominee i will work as hard as i can for him

[BenKenobi]

Mitt/Newt.

Well done FR. I call it now. Mitt/Newt.

[BenKenobi]

The dealbreaker for me is his support for O-Care. Why on earth would I want to have the ‘choices’ of Mitt, Newt and Obama, all of whom agree that I should be taxed to pay for abortion.

Hell no! I want a real choice, not have McCain Jr foisted on me.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Actually, with the exception of the NH poll which I have not studied, Newt’s rise has not touched Romney’s numbers at all. He is not taking much from Mitt.

People get too hung up on “the bad Newt” and I will not argue there is one - but my point is this - there is also a “good Newt” and when he’s good, he’s very very good. I can only assume that since his support has more than quadrupled in the past six weeks or so, that this is the reason. And it has not moved Mitt’s numbers at all during that time.

[RicocheT]

Which one do we pick if it’s Mitt v. Gingrich? Which lessor of the 2 evils must I vote for?

[Las Vegas Ron]

Well lets see....he’s gone way up in the polls while Bachmann, Cain and Perry have gone down and while Palin announced she isn’t running.

Give it two weeks, the LSM hasn't warmed up the New attack machine yet.

They accomplished their tasks with the others and Newt will be next and anyone else who dares to rise....'cept the Mittster.

He'll get his comeuppance once he receives the primary nod.

[boomop1]

Anyone but Mitt or the Kenyan.

[SIDENET]

I think you called the order of the the ticket more accurately.

Jeez, what a crap ticket.

[TBBT]

Land was one of the more dubious of those I talked to about Gingrich’s prospects; other evangelical and social conservative leaders tended to see the issue as settled or as only needing to be addressed when questions about it were directed to Gingrich.

Little demphasis on that part Katrina? Maybe if it was the New York Times you could bury that part on page 11.

Got her RomneyBot on does she?

[G Larry]

As opposed to your towering intellect?

Newt is Pro-Life, which is the corner stone of “social conservatism”.

Are you looking to Mitt for your conservatism?

Or, are you voting for Obama via write-in or stay at home protest?