Posted on 01/20/2016 8:46:10 AM PST by Gandalf the Mauve
There was one race in which Palin appears not to have been much help -- and, in fact, hurt the candidate. According to a 2010 study from researchers at Stanford University, noted by Brendan Nyhan, Palin's presence on the 2008 Republican presidential ticket cost John McCain 1.6 percentage points. In an election in which 131 million people voted, that's 2.1 million votes that McCain should have gotten but didn't....
As the campaign progressed, fewer people said they didn't have an opinion on Palin. And as nearly all of those people formed an opinion on her, that opinion was a negative one. As the researchers put it, "Palin saw a sharp increase in negative evaluations as the fall campaign progressed. Looking at individual-level changes in favorability, we find that 34% of respondents downgraded their evaluations of Palin between September and Election Day, while just 12% became more favorable."...
We're looking at this now in light of Palin's endorsement of Donald Trump, of course, but it's important to set the context properly. We're not suggesting that this study means that Palin will have a deleterious effect on Trump in the primaries. On the contrary, Palin's endorsement likely helps solidify some support for Trump among conservative voters.
Instead, it's worth considering what happened with Palin in light of Trump's candidacy.
The study notes a 2008 Newsweek column which suggested that Palin "sent wavering Democrats, independents and moderate Republicans scurrying to Sen. Barack Obama."...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Wow, was Crist seriously a candidate for McCain’s VP?
Unbelievable.
The only one who cost McCain votes was McCain.
I was one who voted for McCain because of Palin. Surely the many trumpees who have gone through my previous posts have seen that.
Doesn’t change the fact Palin was respected on the right for her conservative and constitutional values. Her supporters were on the right. She will not change a single Cruz voter’s mind. Doesn’t leave her many minds to change.
Me, too.
If it wasn’t for Palin McStain wouldn’t have got 2 million votes.
If not for Palin I would have never voted for McRINO-Cain and I’m sure there were millions like myself back in 2008.
“I understand her decision can be used against her”
If she can’t stand up to the fight when she’s in a position to do just that. Then she loses my respect.
65.3% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
Probably cost him 2 million "independent" votes and gained him 4 million conservative votes - so you're right. :)
The only reason folks went to McCain Rally’s were to see Palin, even McCain had enough smarts to admit that publicly.
Not sure about that. I think I would have heard rumblings of this on FR and living in FL, I’m sure Crist would have been teary eyed on multiple MSM shows afterwards bragging about his possible slot for VP and it never happened.
It’s a nonsense study and article.
MSM and GOPe have been pushing it for years now to demean her.
This is pure bull sh!t! Palin was the only reason millions of us turned out to vote for that nasty little jerk off! Palin could have won the election for him if he hadn’t essentially thrown in the towel in September and then stood by as his campaign staff joined in the MSM assault on her character. Sarah Palin was the ONLY good thing about McCain’s campaign.
Yeah, I saw the same thing in Dayon.
Truer words were never spoken. He sank himself.
George Bush and his refusal to rebut media and the left’s charges against him and McCain’s refusal to do be honest about Obama lost McCain the election.
Nonsense.
But those same deep thinkers examined McCain and found he passed the same What If test?
There is nothing wrong with that. I think your position is well justified. Just saying, other people may cut her some slack.
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