Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Rasmussen: Santorum leads, but Romney trails Obama in four core states
Hotair ^ | 03/18/2012 | Tine Korbe

Posted on 03/18/2012 1:14:12 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Conventional wisdom --- particularly as articulated by Karl Rove and Ann Coulter --- still says Mitt Romney is the most "electable" GOP presidential candidate. The MSM repeats that notion ad nauseum, too. After Rick Santorum won Mississippi and Alabama, for example, MSNBC.com ran an article with the headline, "Romney's electability doesn't help him break through." The Washington Post's Dan Balz wrote a piece headlined, "Rick Santorum hoping ideology will trump electability" as though Rick Santorum lacks electability. Two examples among many.

But a Friday poll from Rasmussen Reports suggests Romney might be less electable and Santorum more so than Rove, Coulter and the MSM would have voters believe.

President Obama now trails former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum by four points in a hypothetical 2012 matchup in combined polling of key swing states Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. The president continues to hold a modest lead in those states.

Santorum leads the president 48% to 44% in the so-called Core Four states. Five percent (5%) prefer some other candidate in this matchup, and two percent (2%) are undecided. This marks a shift from last week, when the president was slightly ahead of Santorum. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Obama remains ahead of Romney 46% to 42%, showing no change from last week. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate in this matchup, and six percent (6%) are undecided.

Forbes’ Scott Harrington distills the argument against Romney’s electability and for Santorum’s competitive edge in a few brief bullet points:

Harrington also notes that Romney still suffers from a robotic presentation of himself, while Santorum — with his passionate, un-tele-prompted speeches — has connected with voters on a gut level.

The Buckley Rule makes sense if you’re Nate Silver and an expert on electability. For the rest of us, it might make sense to just vote for the guy we’d really like to be president.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: kenyanbornmuzzie; mittromney; newtgingrich; obama; ricksantorum; romney; santorum
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-54 last
To: Idaho_Cowboy
Conservatives, especially Evangelicals, are going with Rick. Rick has become more and more conservative over the years. My church 2,500 are big for Rick. I can't figure out who these romney voters are. I have a huge extended family all are for Rick. One aunt was for romney, until she get all the facts on him.
41 posted on 03/18/2012 2:58:35 PM PDT by Linda Frances (Only God can change a heart, but we can pray for hearts to be changed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: TimPatriot

I won’t vote for Romney. I will go third party or write in someone, but no way romney for me.


42 posted on 03/18/2012 3:00:07 PM PDT by Linda Frances (Only God can change a heart, but we can pray for hearts to be changed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: Linda Frances
Rick has become more and more conservative over the years.

Reagan was the same way. Obviously he started out at a more conservative time but he came to the GOP.
43 posted on 03/18/2012 3:04:42 PM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Marguerite

Me either. What made Ann turn?


44 posted on 03/18/2012 3:07:38 PM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Idaho_Cowboy

It’s a little hard to believe Liberals are voting for Santorum instead of Romney since Romney is clearing the more liberal of the two. Liberals typically don’t like extremely Conservative candidates period.

***

This way, all 3 candidates waste more time and money on each other. That’s my ‘splanation.


45 posted on 03/18/2012 4:33:18 PM PDT by ROTB (FReepmail me if you want to join a team seeking the LORD for a Christian revival now in the USA.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: freekitty

What are they going to do when Newt or Rick win the Presidency with no electability? :)


46 posted on 03/18/2012 4:46:41 PM PDT by Quickgun (Second Amendment. The only one you can put your hands on.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Christie at the beach
The liberals are voting for him.

Republicans crossed over and voted for Obama against Hillary in 2008 because they thought Hillary was more electable. Didn't work out so hot, did it?

47 posted on 03/18/2012 6:21:48 PM PDT by dirtboy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Santorum WILL be the nominee for the Republican party, because NONE of the delegates will cross over to vote for Romney at a broken convention, and Gingrich will throw his support behind Santorum. The odds of Mitt winning the majority of the remaining delegates are slim, the probability is that Santorum and Gingrich will win the majority of the remaining delegates, which means that at a broken convention, which WILL happen, Santorum will win. Thank God!


48 posted on 03/18/2012 6:48:40 PM PDT by FutureRocketMan (Santorum 2012)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Linda Frances

Reagan Republican are reluctantly going with Santorum and wishing he’d take a few hours and watch some old Reagan videos on Youtube to learn how to handle the campaign. This is why I don’t like lawyers as candidates and I don’t like guys who took a pass on the Service.


49 posted on 03/18/2012 6:50:35 PM PDT by MSF BU
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind; Mountain Mary

Brit Hume is a Romney RINO dedicated to Romney, Soros
and Obama.

He supports Rove, Soros, and the backstabbing of true
conservatives.

Hume leads the FOX-BAIN Biased News Service
at the Sunday Romney-Pimp Fest.


50 posted on 03/19/2012 4:05:10 AM PDT by Diogenesis ("Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. " Pres. Ronald Reagan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: entropy12
36 posted on Sunday, March 18, 2012 4:31:05 PM by entropy12: “Establishment GOP does not have the votes or the money in primaries. People do. I do not understand why we allow open primaries. Only registered republicans should select our nominee.”

I support caucuses in which party registration is required to vote — or at least I did before the debacle two days ago in the Missouri caucuses with police having to be called to shut down one of the state's largest caucuses in St. Charles County.

However, we need to remember that not every state has voter registration, and in some which do, registration is virtually meaningless because it can be changed up until the day of the primary. Every state is a little different on their procedures, and for those of us who as Republicans support states’ rights, I don't think we want the national GOP ordering state parties what to do.

Open voting needs to stop, but it needs to be a state-by-state decision on how to stop it.

51 posted on 03/19/2012 4:33:54 AM PDT by darrellmaurina
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: freekitty

Amen to that. I am sick of seeing either one of them on TV. I used to like both until they both supported Romney. I think they are wrong about the electibility question.


52 posted on 03/19/2012 11:54:07 AM PDT by Maryhere ("HE comes to rule the earth")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: hinckley buzzard

They say he hasn’t been the same since the death by suicide of his son.


53 posted on 03/19/2012 9:18:06 PM PDT by Mountain Mary ("This is OUR country and WE will decide"... Mark Levin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: FutureRocketMan

I hope you’re right, FRM. Great attitude!!


54 posted on 03/19/2012 9:19:19 PM PDT by Mountain Mary ("This is OUR country and WE will decide"... Mark Levin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-54 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson