Poll of Virginia voters favors Gingrich

Roanoke Times ^ | Dec 22, 2011 | By Michael Sluss

[Jim Robinson]

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich leads the pack of Republican presidential hopefuls in a survey of Virginia voters released Wednesday.

But former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney would fare better than Gingrich in a general election contest with President Barack Obama, according to the Quinnipiac University poll.

Gingrich leads Romney by a margin of 30 percent to 25 percent among Republican voters, with none of the other GOP candidates topping 9 percent. In a head-to-head test, Gingrich tops Romney by a margin of 47 percent to 39 percent. Virginia will hold its presidential primary March 6.

More than half of the voters who participated in the poll disapprove of Obama's job performance. But no Republican candidate has a clear advantage over the president in a hypothetical general election race. Romney edges Obama by a margin of 44 percent to 42 percent, but the survey has a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.

~~ snip ~~

Gingrich has surged in Virginia just as he has in national surveys.

[Jim Robinson]

You’d think at least some of these registered voters should have valid Virginia addresses. /s

[bcsco]

And as I understand it, Gingrich has come up short in the Virginia primary. Huh. In any event, may I wish a very Merry and Happy Christmas to you, and to all here on FR. God’s blessings to all.

[TexasFreeper2009]

PPP poll from last week had Gingrich beating Romney 41 to 15.

[TexasFreeper2009]

Romney operatives in Virginia have hijacked the nomination process and eliminated all the candidates from the ballot but Romney.

I hope Perry and/or Gingrich sues to fix this, and quick. The majority of voters in Virginia are otherwise going to be disenfranchised by the underhanded tactics of Romney operatives.

[greeneyes]

I’d like to know, who was checking those addresses, and who was checking the checkers.

[Mad Dawgg]

My question is how did all these candidates fail to get 10 times the signatures needed? Seriously... aren't they in this to win or are they just phoning it in?

Locally if we do a petition drive for candidates or issues we shoot for at least double and always get it and more. Christ its not that hard to get 20K signatures why in God's good name can't a national candidate get this done?

[RealImmigrant]

If VA voters truly want to help Gingrich, but cannot write-in vote for him...they will have to clinch their teeth and vote for Ron Paul. Voting for Romney just gives him 40 more delegates that Newt needs to overcome

Its either Crazy or Liberal....and Newt has a better chance vs Crazy

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Computers did official address analysis compared to the text on the petitions. If they were not an exact match, they were kicked out.

(My understanding of it.)

[ClearCase_guy]

As those who work with databases know, normalization of data can be tricky.

You say you live on Elm St? Too bad.
The computer says you live on Elm Street.

I guess you lied.
No vote for you!!!

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Congratulations! You have addopted the official MSM claim, supported by all the RNC, GOP, FOX, CARL ROVE excuse/explanation for this sickening development. You must be proud to have so much support! Romney especially thanks you.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

exactly! But don’t you know? Gingrich and Perry simply FAILED to get enough signatures, don’t you know. (Forget details, they won’t be discussed or reported here!)

[muawiyah]

I strongly suspect there will be some pretty serious acts of civil disobedience at Virginia primary sites in March.

This will make Romney and his Fascist compadre, Ron Paul, look bad.

Last thing Republicans need is or a candidate to get a nomination simply by disqualifying his competitors through legal shenanigans ~ that's Obama's stuff.

[TitansAFC]

Exactly.

If The Virginia GOP does choose to run with the no-write-ins-will-count policy, EVERYONE in VA should vote for Ron Paul to deny Romney ANY delegates, because their primary is winner-take-all.

[muawiyah]

The requirement is to get certain minimums in each Congressional district as well as an aggregate count.

[CainConservative]

Gingrich tops Romney by a margin of 47 percent to 39 percent

It's still Newt/Marco 2012 whether VA is in on it or not!

[muawiyah]

We've had some serious problems in the past in Virginia when it comes to primaries, and general elections in Northern Virginia. Several years back the first Asian-American to ever win office in Virginia was all set to take office in the state legislature.

The Democrats didn't like it that he was a Republican so they began counting and recounting the votes until their puke won and the Asian-American lost.

Just typical stuff.

You check with Governor McDonnell ~ he acts like he's a straight shooter but like virtually all the politicians in Virginia he goes along with these shenanigans.

[CainConservative]

Maybe they had ENOUGH registered voters after all.

[cookcounty]

Are the delegates bound in the Virginia primary?

[Mad Dawgg]

"Congratulations! You have addopted the official MSM claim..."

Claim? I asked a question.

I can routinely get 1K signatures for just about any issue or candidate I wish in a town of 6000 inside a week. I have no special skills to do such I just knock on doors and canvas local gathering places (with permission of the owners of course).

Are you telling me these candidates couldn't get 20 volunteers with my limited signature getting skill set in all of Virginia?

Sorry but I got to believe these guys are falling down on the job.

[Jim Robinson]

I don't know, but as of last week, not only was Gingrich the leading Republican candidate in Virginia, but according to the national polls compiled by RealClearPolitcs, he is the leading national Republican candidate for the presidency. Something is seriously rotten in Denmark (or Virginia in this case) if the RINOs succeed in keeping him off the ballot.

2012 Republican Presidential Nomination

Polling Data

Poll	Date	Sample	Gingrich	Romney	Paul	Perry	Bachmann	Santorum	Huntsman	Cain	Spread
RCP Average	12/14 - 12/22	--	27.8	24.4	12.6	6.6	6.4	3.6	1.8	--	Gingrich +3.4
Gallup Tracking	12/18 - 12/22	1000 RV	26	22	13	8	6	3	1	--	Gingrich +4
CNN/Opinion Research	12/16 - 12/18	436 A	28	28	14	7	8	4	2	--	Tie
PPP (D)	12/16 - 12/18	658 LV	35	22	11	6	7	4	3	--	Gingrich +13
ABC News/Wash Post	12/15 - 12/18	RV	30	30	15	6	7	4	2	--	Tie
CBS News	12/14 - 12/18	291 RV	20	20	10	6	4	3	1	--	Tie

[elpadre]

but Gingrich forgot Virginia - didn't get enough signatures to make the ballot. What does that tell us about the Gingrich organization??

[SatinDoll]

The following thread had a lot of important info concerning what has happened in Virginia. You should read it in its entirety before making statements.

How do you like those ballot restrictions now? [TEA Partyers unite against this RINO fascism!!]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2824696/posts

In part, the State’s GOP makes up the rules for getting on the primary ballot. If a wannabe candidate submits 15,000+ signatures those petitions shall not be verified (lots of room for fraud, isn’t there?) Any number less than 15,000 and your petitions get the annal exam.

Supposedly, for the first time, a computer was used to verify signatures and addresses on the petitions, and all were thrown out becasue so few matched EVEN those of Romney and Paul. So, Romney and Paul were grandfathered in becasue they were on the 2008 ballot.

The whole situation stinks and there will be, no doubt about it, legal challenges.

[Jim Robinson]

It tells you that he’s still ahead in the frigging polls and is still the primary choice of the conservative base and the tea party supporters over their elite establishment RINO albatross.
.

[SatinDoll]

See my post at #23.

What it tells ME is Gingrich and Perry likely have been screwed by the GOP establishment in VA, or the GOP has made some serious errors in there handling of this situation.

[Mad Dawgg]

"The following thread had a lot of important info concerning what has happened in Virginia. You should read it in its entirety before making statements."

Are you talking about the thread I posted in multiple times? Let me ask did you actually read the thread? Further are you saying if Gingrich had submitted 15K or more signatures then he was in? If so then my original question stands Why couldn't he or the others manage to get such?

Seriously its not that hard to get 20K signatures.

[trebb]

More proof it’s the establishment Rino/Rovians trying to stack the deck with all Romney cards. Getting to be about time to demonstrate how an Ocuppy movement should be run.

[Mad Dawgg]

Jim is it your understanding that if candidates got more than 15K signature then the Ballots couldn't be challenged?

I've seen this posted several times. Yet I can't find a definitive answer via google and Bing so far.

[Diogenesis]

The backstabbing, coward Romney:
"I bet you $10,000 that I am exempt from all rules
which is why ONLY YOU will rot in jail.”

---

Carville(D):
"It's a feel-good story, this Romney thing.
Romney is an ascendant guy."

Sen. John Kerry (D) to Don Imus on RomneyCARE:
"I like this health care bill".

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D) on RomneyCARE:
"To come up with a bipartisan plan in this polarized environment is commendable."

Mitt Romney wins much coveted Jimmy Carter endorsement

---

Truthful Milt Romney:

"I'm very clear I think, to the people across the Commonwealth
my "R" didn't stand so much for Republican as it does for reform."
(Romney Video, accessed 9/19/07)

---

[SatinDoll]

Yes, I read the WHOLE thread! And you posted once, at #50.

The “letter” is at #235: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2824696/posts?q=1&;page=201

[Jim Robinson]

I have no idea, don’t know anything about Virginia or the Virginia RINO establishment, but if they can keep the popular rank and file LEADING national and Virginia Republican candidate OFF the ballot due to some arcane arbitrary rule, then they are nothing but a pack of FACIST dogs!!

[TexasFreeper2009]

It tells us your a Romney supporter or have a weak mind subject to manipulation by the media.

[deport]

For what it's worth: It appears to me they were saying submit enough signatures that if 1/3 were invalidated they would meet the threshold of 400 per CD and 10,000 statewide. Thus the 15,000 and 600 numbers. Who knows what the intent was.

[The Cajun]

If this doesn't get corrected, without thinking too deeply, I'd say vote for the crazy old loon Paul.
This wouldn't help Paul any in the long run and would backfire on the GOP establishment and their boy Mittens big time.
The establishment and Mittens are fighting dirty, fight back dirty by denying them what they now think will be an easy victory.

Hopefully this GOP establishment thievery won't stand.

[Mad Dawgg]

So the letter sez 15K signatures with 600 at least in each district. any of us could get more than that using 5 other people and do so in less than 30 days. Why didn't these National Candidates?

Hell in Ohio it seems like we have Ohio Amendment Ballot issues every election and one issue usually takes over 400K valid signatures to qualify.

[Fresh Wind]

Just a few thousand more signatures from Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck would have solved the problem.

[Lady on the Lake]

When I was in school, I learned to turn in my reports, tests, etc. on time or I wouldn't get a grade. Newt didn't make the grade. Buck up! Going on vacation with Calista, was more important to Newt than being President.

[Jim Robinson]

This is not school. Gingrich is the LEADING Republican candidate!! School may be out for Christmas, but this is far from over.

[Yashcheritsiy]

Now we know why the GOP establishment is driving so hard to get Gingrich eliminated from contention in VA.

[Matchett-PI]

"I hope Perry and/or Gingrich sues to fix this, and quick. The majority of voters in Virginia are otherwise going to be disenfranchised by the underhanded tactics of Romney operatives."

Time for another "Operation Chaos"? Looks like it, as it stands right now.

We'll have to see what Rush says about this when he gets back from Christmas break. bttt

[SatinDoll]

There are a few things here that, taken together, don’t make any sense.

The GOP, for the very first time, used a computer to verify the names with the addresses. All petitions of Gov.Perry’s and Newt Gingrich’s were thrown out as being ineligible submissions (this is per statements on another thread).

Did Romney and Paul have their petitions scanned? If not, was it because they met the below requirement?

“So the letter sez 15K signatures with 600 at least in each district. any of us could get more than that using 5 other people and do so in less than 30 days. Why didn’t these National Candidates?”

Good question! There is no date on the letter, so it isn’t apparent when this requirement was set. But neither Perry nor Gingrich have run for national office in VA before like Ron Paul has, and neither are multi-millionaires with attendent legions of lawyers working for them. Their campaign managers may not have known about the requirement or, more likely, overlooked it.

Furthermore, what is to prevent a wannabe candidate from submitting large numbers of names and addresses from phone books, many fraudulent as they will not be registered Republicans, just so their petitions won’t be audited?

Anyone suspicious about a fix being in here?

[Jim Robinson]

Very appropriate picture:

And that's exactly how he would see this RINO fiasco.

"I was an independent during Reagan-Bush! I'm not returning to Reagan-Bush!" --Mitt Romney

[elpadre]

It tells me he didn't respect the Virginians enough to get the signatures necessary to comply with the state rules. Certainly you don't expect them to bend their regs that have been on the books for ten years just for him?

[Matchett-PI]

“Are the delegates bound in the Virginia primary?”

Yes, according to this:
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P12/VA-R

[Jim Robinson]

It tells me the establishment Virgina GOP RINOS are idiots!!

[Jim Robinson]

It tells me the elite establishment RINOS heading up the Virginia GOP think they can walk all over the rank and file conservative base and that they have absolutely zero respect for their constituents and voters. Eff ‘em!! Time to kick the RINO bastards OUT!!

[elpadre]

I have no favorite,and find reasons for each to support or not, but have always been one to abide by the rules and regulations which apply to me. This Virginia primary rule, as I have read, has been on the books for more than ten years. Now you want them to bend the rule for your man. I don't think so. The fault is with Gingrich, not Virginia.

[elpadre]

I have no favorite,and find reasons for each to support or not, but have always been one to abide by the rules and regulations which apply to me. This Virginia primary rule, as I have read, has been on the books for more than ten years. Now you want them to bend the rule for your man. I don't think so. The fault is with Gingrich, not Virginia.

[Jim Robinson]

Time for a little rebellion in Virginia. In days gone by (and not so long ago) it would’ve been time for some good old fashioned tar and feathers.