Election 2012: South Carolina Republican Primary(Romney 27%, Santorum 24%)

Rasmussen Reports ^ | 01/06/2012 | Staff

[Rational Thought]

What a difference a caucus makes. Rick Santorum who two months ago had one percent (1%) support among likely South Carolina Republican Primary voters now is running a close second there with 24% of the vote.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the Palmetto State finds former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney still in the lead, earning 27% support from likely GOP Primary Voters, up from 23% in early November. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is in third with 18% of the vote, followed by Texas Congressman Ron Paul at 11%.

Bringing up the rear are Texas Governor Rick Perry with five percent (5%) and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman at two percent (2%). Another two percent (2%) of these likely primary voters like some other candidate, and 11% remain undecided

[edge10]

It seems like the untrustworthy Newt is the one that should drop out and stop splitting the vote.

[C210N]

If just one of them got all the votes, Romney would be history - and THAT is what we want...

The key to that though, is that the three not-Robney's run and split up winner-NOT-take-all primaries, so that they still have the combined clout without any two of them at the convention. The danger though is that Robney takes winner-take-all states with, say, his ceiling of 27%, and thus his delegates run the convention.

I'd like to look at how Robney is doing versus not-Robney's in winner-take-all states...

[arderkrag]

Newt’s “organization” doesn’t seem to be helping him much. Neither does Perry’s. Meanwhile, Santorum’s lack of so-called “organization” seems to be serving him quite well. The “lack of money” line is a non-argument as well.

[LuvFreeRepublic]

People better brace themselves. Santorum is being hit hard on the gay issue. While Freepers have no problem with his positions, a lot of other people will, especially the way his positions are being conveyed.

[Carry_Okie]

Can’t conservatives add, or is it all ego?

You can bet that Ricardo is doing somebody's bidding. By staying in he's helping the Party bigwigs get their boy.

See tagline.

[SamAdams76]

Actually, Santorum won half of Iowa's delgates....Newt got a goose egg.

Not quite. In fact, none of the candidates have any pledged delegates to the convention at this point. The delegates for Iowa will actually be selected later in the year at a state convention. The caucuses only served to elect people to vote for national delegates at the state convention, which is held several months from now. So in reality, Iowa will be one of the last states in the country to select national delegates.

You are also wrong about Santorum getting half of Iowa's delegates and Newt getting none. The projected Iowa delegate totals for each candidate are as follows:

Romney - 7
Santorum - 7
Paul - 7
Gingrich - 2
Perry - 2

[tennmountainman]

Your comment actually makes sense, if one is actually looking for 1 conservative to rally around. The sooner, the better.

[VA40]

All these polls show to me is that non-freepers and non-du-ers just see the MSM: Perry can’t talk, Newt is angry, Paul is a looney, Bauchman has migraines..It’s Romney, Romney, Romney all the time. Until Iowa they had not even heard of Santorum.
The remaining field needs to attack Romney, Romney, Romney. There has been no bad press for Romney. He needs to be provoked and picked on relentlessly. Show everyone that he is just another Obama. Romney=No Change=More of the Same and we can’t afford it!

[wardaddy]

Fook...this just plain sucks

what happened to Newt’s huge lead

poof?

[wardaddy]

DeMint supporting Romney...geezuss

man...if he ain’t got spine

does anyone in the Senate?

[VA40]

Not true.

[xzins]

23+18+5 = 46

Santorum + Gingrich + Perry

Conservatives are killing themselves.

Romney is winning S Carolina because conservatives are killing themselves.

South Carolina is the conservative firewall. If the firewall is breached where do you fall back to then?

[TexasFreeper2009]

Paul: 6
Santorum: 6
Romney: 6
Gingrich: 4
Perry: 3

that is the delegate count after Iowa.

[TexasFreeper2009]

You don’t fall back to anywhere, because the media induced surge of Santorum was designed specifically to ensure Romney the nomination.

*sigh*

[Cato in PA]

Let Rick Perry drop out. He hasn’t been able to regain his former support and he has no momentum.

Why are the Newt fans acting so viciously toward Rick Santorum? You should follow your candidate’s lead and work with the Santorum supporters because defeating Willard Romney the open socialist is our top priority.

You want to know why Newt didn’t win Iowa? It was because of Romney’s smear machine. It had nothing to do with Santorum. If anything, you should be thankful that the voters Mitt scared away didn’t join his camp.

After Romney gets out - IF he gets out - then may the best man win. Until then, put a sock in it and work toward our common goal. That includes voting for whichever candidate is most likely to defeat him regardless of your personal preferences. Me, I support Rick Santorum, but if Newt turns out to be the anti-Romney, I’ll vote for him instead.

[adc]

Simple. Unlike the purists, they want a win by choosing the most electable candidate. That would not be Santorum, Newt or Huntsman. It’s the charisma, stupid. Nothing personal intended.

[wardaddy]

let me tell folks as a Deep South guy from Mississippi who claims South Carolina and Alabama as closest cultural kin.

these are the most bedrock socially conservative states in the Union amongst the white voters...rural blacks are Bible believers too but don’t vote that way

anyhow....if Romney can win there he can win anywhere

he will win NH

if he wins SC and FL, it’s over

the moderate beats a fractured quasi conservative field yet again

I am shocked Romney is in the lead

Romney gained some on his own and Santorum’s leap ate up Newt’s lead bigtime

one of those two should go

unlike many here I don’t see a lot of difference ideologically..and neither do ratings groups...giving Newt slight edge

but Santorum has less baggage

but Newt is unquestionably more able in debates and ferocity and determination....folks with his mind and will do not come along often

Santorum may be a hair more socially conservative

but if both stay in past Florida it will hurt us unless they can bind delegates...not sure they can do that?

hence...I can live with either but they cannot drag this on long enough for Mitt to continue to coalesce and I pray they do not let their egos kill our chance for a more conservative candidate

[tennmountainman]

Then I guess we will have to see how SC turns out, so we can rally around 1 conservative. A lot of posters here have been saying “wait till SC”. They will get their wish very soon.
Maybe then, we can rally around 1 conservative, whoever that might be, Santorum, Gingrich or Perry.

[TexasFreeper2009]

I think Santorum will stay in as long as possible hoping to get a joint reality show with his new best friends the Duggers.

[Rational Thought]

It’s a great point you raise.

The question becomes do the majority of voters support the Gay agenda or are they opposed?

One thing which is never discussed is the difference between being Gay and the Gay agenda. Like so many other agenda’s in our society, most of the specifics of this agenda are actually just a means to promote the Liberal ideology, the same (current) Liberal ideology which has been so supportive of certain Islamic societies, who’s penalties against Homosexuality have severe penalties, including death.