Posted on 02/20/2012 5:27:44 AM PST by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at texastribune.org ...
I think Texas is classified as a semi-cpen (or would semi-closed be the same thing?)primary state.
In Texas, you do not state your party-preference at voter-registration time - but you state which party primary you wish to vote in when you show up at the polling place on primary election day. (they work it so both partied agree to have primary election on the same date - I think they call it a unified primary date). The poll worker asks which party primary you are voting in (you can’t vote in both) and then they stamp your voter registration card and the list with which party primary you voted in and direct you to the ballots with that respective party’s candidates printed. Then, you can only vote in the runoff election of the party primary you voted in that day, which is held a couple of weeks later.
This is basically how you are considered to be a republican, democrat, or other voter in Texas. Actually getting more involved in a political party other than voting in that party’s primary and sending donations, is a whole other story.
But, this year I would bet a lot of people who normally vote in the Democrat Primary will vote in the Republican Primary because the Democrat presidential primary is uncontested. Also, Texas has an interesting republican primary race going on for retiring Senator Kay Baily Hutchison’s seat.
Pork goes good with Beef. Maybe Uncle Paul is trying to ensure variety.
If I ever move to another state, I’d sure like it to be Texas. I like the Attitude!:)
The new MSM meme is “this is Reagan in 1976”
That's what is going to do him in..he has no discerning ability to know when to keep certain matters to himself until the right time...or not speak them at all.
Santorum is all about his career and the sooner people see that the better...he will step over and tromp on whatever he d=feels necessary to advance that...and the very thing that outed him in PA along with a host of other issues his out spokenness created as well as his voting record.
Don't come into the deep end unless you have your scuba gear on honey. ;-)
They have been running in the Austin area.
I heard that Newt has decided to compete in Michigan. Do you know anything about that? I hope he doesn’t; that would just split the Conservative vote there and I’d LOVE to see Mitt Romney lose his home state.
VanDeKoik wrote:
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More that it shows how utterly hopeless we are in 2012.
If Texas is so dense that it tosses its votes to this guy then we might as well hold the general election in July to save us the grief.
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Yeah, because that Barack Obama has done such a FANTASTIC job as president is just SOOOOOOO re-electable with his HUGELY popular policies! The American public just CAN’T get enough of Lord Barry! </sarc>
Seriously, you do realize being a Negative Nelly is counterproductive and does nothing to help our cause, right?
And then obama will get another four years for certain.
I see any of the candidates on our side as changing a whole lot.
The negativism around here is ridiculous.
Obama sucks, people know it even though they may not be out there screaming it on the streets.
As Levin said, “an orange juice can is better than Obama”.
Not sure that the gentle Santorum , social christian , is the man....
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Then, pray tell, who is the man (or woman)? We’ve had a sorry lot to choose from this year.
Definitely. Texas is the reddest of the red states.
Sorry..The great state of OKLAHOMA enjoys the enviable reputation of being the “REDDEST” state in the union. Not one democrat county in the entire state. “A Redneck and a Republican paradise”...Heaven.
The individual mandate that Newt supported was a product of the Heritage Foundation. It is really not the same as what is in Obamacare, but Newt has since said that the Conservative mandate idea was also not the best way to go. Newt has no problem admitting when he is wrong. Obama does, and I don’t think he is going to find an answer on his telepromptor that will satisfy voters.
Rick Santorum is leading for two reasons:
1. The public crusifixion of Newt Gingrich by Mitt Romney, the Media and establishment republicans. Much of which is inaccurate and some plain false. His own moral failings are public knowledge. (I am glad mine aren’t). But to think the others are innocent of moral failings is to discount much of the gospel. Newt is redeemed and forgiven by God, we would do well to do the same.
2. Ron Paul is unacceptable because of a naviee view of radical Islam and their purposes. Mitt Romney is the worse kind of politician, seeking office solely for the purpose of self interest...and does anything and everything to get elected.
Rick is what most people believe they have left. So they build him up in their own minds in order to get excited about his candidacy. He is an average Jr. Senator, that needs more seasoning, and in a sense a very average communicator. He will lose to Obama.
I’m afraid Rick will go down with the “God” issue, the “Gay” issue and the “abortion issue”. Better he should stay neutral
on these issues rather than blunder on. A live and let live attitude might serve him well.
Not sure what’s happening to this state.
caww wrote:
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If Santorume wins Michigan, he WILL end up as the nominee.
And then obama will get another four years for certain.
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Based on WHAT???? You act like Barack Obama has some impeccable and untouchable record as president! I defy you to tell us what you think is so invincible about Barack Obama this November if Santorum is the nominee? Name ONE thing Obama has done that you think a majority of voters are just clamoring to re-elect him?
I get so SICK of all the negative doom-and-gloom hand wringers here on Free Republic given the reality that we have EVERY reason to be positive about the November elections!
This is an internet poll. Garbage.
while other candidates provide pages on their website that give positions on immigration, Sen. Santorum doesn’t address immigration on his website.
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WHAT???? You’ve got to be kidding. I’ll check that out now.
I'm Italian. My ancestors actually came from the same area of Italy as Rick Santorum, which I only recently learned from reading Santorum’s bio.
I only recently learned the details of Santorum’s ethnic heritage because that has nothing to do with my decision to support Santorum, which was very late in the process and only after I decided he was the only choice left who (mostly) shared my values and had a realistic chance of winning.
On the other hand, a slight rephrasing of the question could change things. I do think Santorum is effectively reaching the blue collar ethnic electorate, which is often Roman Catholic and often votes Democrat. Italians are only one small part of a broader picture, but Santorum’s ethnic heritage and Catholicism gives him credibility with a demographic that is bigger than being Italian.
The old “Reagan Democrats” are not a major force anymore in national politics, but they are important in certain key states which we absolutely must win to retake the presidency this fall, and Santorum has a better shot at winning those states in the general election when most other Republicans.
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