UT/TT Poll: Santorum Crushing GOP Hopefuls in Texas (Santorum 45%, Romney 16%)

The Texas Tribune ^ | 2/20/12 | Ross Ramsey

[TexasFreeper2009]

Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania has a commanding lead among Republican presidential candidates in Texas, according to a new University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll.

Santorum would get the votes of 45 percent of the respondents if the election were held today, according to the survey. The other three candidates in the GOP race — former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas — are clustered well behind. Gingrich got 18 percent, Romney received 16 percent and Paul garnered 14 percent.

[duckman]

“Do you think Italian Americans, many of whom are traditionally Democrat, are contributing to Saint Rick’s surge? “
IMO, I think it's the dems pushing Rick. They see him as a ‘quick kill’ for zero.

[ConservativeDude]

holy smokes. IF Santorum wins Michigan, he might well end up as the nominee

[deport]

With Texas being pushed pretty much out of the picture with a late May or later primary this probably won't impact the nomination.

Link to Poll Data

[TexasFreeper2009]

Texas has more delegates than Florida, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire combined

[txrangerette]

Newt says what he thinks, unafraid.

Your first few words are false.

As far as what Rick thinks about every social, religious, moral and personal issue under the sun?

I don’t care and am sick of it defining a campaign that was ostensibly to save this country from Obama and Reid and the abyss of a third world nation.

[Theodore R.]

I did not intend “Saint” Rick as an insult, but I know many do. I would be surprised if he could win MI; if so, Romney won’t make it, as I had long predicted.

[LuvFreeRepublic]

An Internet survey with a low margin of error? For sure Newt has been damaged by the carpet bombing and FL results, but I am not seeing the support for Santorum being as high as this poll indicates.

[TexasFreeper2009]

naaa. it just means that we Texans will have the privledge of putting Santorum over the top to secure the nomination :)

[MulberryDraw]

primaries. They were originally scheduled for March 6 — early voting would have started this week — but have been delayed by redistricting litigation. Texas still doesn't have all of its congressional and legislative maps in place, and May 29 appears to be the earliest possible primary date.

The primaries may be decided before we vote due to law suits by minority groups. I wonder what a poll about how Texans feel about this would turn up.

[MrEdd]

The Dems candidate has always been Mitt Romneycare. With him, even if they lose he still pushes every one of their major agendas.

[no dems]

I’ve got news for you. Well, maybe it’s not “news” to you, but, if Rick PERRY was still in the race, Santorum would beat him down here in Texas also.

[wolfcreek]

Wonder if Romney will now stop the “I am a Mormon” commercials here in Texas?

[ConservativeDude]

On the other hand, if the race is close at that time, it could be extraordinarily important...as it was when Reagan won it in 1976 against Ford and the establishment.

[pgkdan]

I was one of Perry’s most vocal supporters but Santorium was always my second choice if Perry didn’t make it. His endorsement was meaningless to me...as are ALL others. But they do have their value I suppose...I know there are other Perry supporters who were shocked that I didn’t fall in line behind Gingrich just because he got Perry’s endorsement. I prefer to think for myself. I only get one vote and I intend to cast it myself.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Eagles up! Get on the anti-RINO/Romney, pro-Santorum bandwagon, folks!

[conservativejoy]

Of the 800 Internet respondents, only 371 were Republicans.

Is the primary in Texas open across party lines?

The article went on to say anyone of the Republican candidates can beat Obama in Texas. That’s encouraging.

[AmericanInTokyo]

GOOD for YOU! Thinking for yourself, and being an individual, is the essence of Consevatism!

[dforest]

You should keep in mind that all those negative Romney ads directed at Newt haven’t been viewed by most of the country where primaries haven’t happened yet.

Newt’s problem is that he has a history that many won’t forget. He has high negatives and there are many that won’t consider him.

Santorum naturally benefits because of the two opponents left in the race.

Romney and Newt. Sometimes Ron Paul has placed higher than Newt.

[FerociousRabbit]

Newt has a bizarre strategy, if he has any strategy at all. He wasn’t on the Missouri beauty contest ballot and essentially ignored Minnesota and Colorado, the wins that propelled Santorum. He didn’t contest in Maine and isn’t really contesting in Michigan or Arizona. That is a lot of states to ignore. He could have set his sites on at least one of them (Colorado or Arizona would have made sense).

Instead, he is spending time in Texas, California and Georgia... basically fundraising and not campaigning. He is pinning all his hopes on Super Tuesday while Santorum gains strength in polls in the southern states, the very states Newt needs to win big in.

Newt is a smart guy so maybe he is just a lot smarter than I am. I am a Newt supporter that just doesn’t get it.

[ngat]

Please look into this organization before bothering with anything they have to say. It is a bunch of leftist trial lawyars posing as a news organiztion.