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Newt Gingrich lost me on this issue. He sounds too much like Senator John McCain and President George W. Bush and their illegal immigrant “Amensty” Plan.

Also, Gingrich has sold out to the high tech companies who want offshore Graduate Students in science and math to arrange easy immigration visas and Big Agriculture who wants a million guest workers to more cheaply harvest their crops.

Gingrich’s performance tonight will hurt him in Iowa and look for Michele Bachmann to exploit the issue there.

Advantage tonight goes to Mitt Romney as Newt Gingrich falters.

According to the latest Winthrop University Poll.

• When asked about Barack Obama’s job performance as president, 40% of all respondents approved, while 50.7% disapproved. Independents—whom many cite as a key factor in the 2012 election–disapproved by 56.5%.
• Among Republicans/Republican leaners definitely planning to vote in the GOP Primary, Rick Perry—who entered the race for the GOP nod during an appearance in SC—lead Mitt Romney by 30.5% to 27.3%–within the margin of error.
• When Republicans/Republican leaners who are definitely planning to vote in the Primary were asked who they thought the eventual 2012 Republican nominee would be—regardless of the one they currently supported—Rick Perry was named most frequently, by 35.4%, while 29.4% chose Mitt Romney.
• Michele Bachmann is polling back to where she was in Winthrop’s April 2011 Poll, when the two frontrunners—Huckabee and Romney—were chosen by 35.7% of Republicans/Republican leaners definitely planning to vote in the GOP Primary. In the new Winthrop Poll, the two frontrunners (Perry and Romney) collectively hold 57.8% of the support from that group.  In absolute terms this means Bachmann is back to where she started in April. In relative terms, she has slipped.
• Herman Cain’s numbers, among Republicans/Republican leaners definitely planning to vote in the SC Primary, have gone from 2.1% in the  Winthrop April 2001 Poll to 7.7% in this current poll.
• Among Republicans/Republican leaners, 67.8% said they did not consider themselves members of the Tea Party movement, but 74.4% of the same group said they generally agree with the Tea Party’s principles.
• Among Republicans/Republican leaners who are definitely planning on voting in the GOP Primary in SC, 59.9% said that it was more important to select a Republican presidential nominee who matched their beliefs, while 33.5% in this category disagreed, saying it was more important to select a candidate who could beat President Obama in 2012.
• Among Republicans/Republican leaners, 74.7% feel the term “socialist” describes President Obama very well or well.
• Among Republicans/Republican leaners, almost 30% believe President Obama is a Muslim.
• Among Republicans/Republican leaners, 36% continue to believe the president was either probably, or definitely, born in another country. Even though a long-form birth certificate for the president was produced between the Winthrop April 2011 Poll and now—showing he was born in Hawaii—just 5.2% fewer respondents now believe Obama was born outside the country than those back in April (36% now vs. 41.2 % in April).
• Among Republicans/Republican leaners, 62.4% identify the economy/financial crisis and jobs/ unemployment as the biggest problems facing the U.S.

It is a Perry Vs. Romney race in South Carolina. Ed Rollins statement yesterday that Michele Bachmann is a one trick pony candidate in Iowa appears to be true.

Now, how will an endorsement of Senator Jim DeMint and Governor Nikki Haley affect the race?

According to the latest Gallup Poll.

Mitt Romney is the only announced candidate whose Positive Intensity Score has improved significantly in recent weeks. His current 16 is up from 11 in late August and is his highest rating since mid-July, thus narrowing the gap with Perry. Rudy Giuliani, who has yet to decide if he will run, still edges out Romney with an 18.

Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann have seen significant declines in their Positive Intensity Scores since late August. Palin, who has also not decided whether to run, is down six points, from 16 to 10, and Bachmann is down three points, from 13 to 10. Both women are now at new lows for the year, with Bachmann’s score cut in half since early August.

Of course, this poll was taken before last night, but shows some movement since the Reagan Presidential Library debate the week prior where the Social Security – Ponzi Scheme Flap reared its ugly head. Interesting that Rudy Giuliani continues to poll better than Mitt Romney.

With just under five months remaining before Republican primary voters start casting ballots for the 2012 Republican nomination, Perry continues to generate more positive intensity from Republicans who know him than any other announced or potential candidate Gallup tracks. This is particularly notable because Perry has managed to maintain a strong Positive Intensity Score as his recognition among Republicans has expanded from 55% in July to 75% today. Romney, however, remains better known, and has recently seen his sagging Positive Intensity Score rebound, although he still lags significantly behind Perry on this measure.

The news is not as good for Bachmann, who has lost much of the passionate support she generated as recently as early August. Positive intensity for Palin among national Republicans has also slipped to a new low for the year.

Republicans’ views of Paul, Gingrich, Santorum, and Huntsman all seem to be in a holding pattern at levels seemingly keeping these men out of serious contention for the nomination. Huntsman does particularly poorly in Republicans’ eyes, and is the only candidate tracked whose Positive Intensity Score is a net negative, meaning that more Republicans who know him have a strongly unfavorable opinion than have a strongly favorable opinion.

Cain continues to be an anomaly, scoring high in positive intensity among those who know him, yet unable to push his recognition above the 50% level, and scoring low in trial-heat ballot measures.

After watching last night’s GOP Presidential debate, I am wondering how and where the GOP got to this place with the top two candidates being Rick Perry and Mitt Romney with an assorted supporting cast. The field could use another candidate or two – calling Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels or Representative Paul Ryan – PLEASE RUN.

The current GOP Presidential field is very weak, each candidate has a track record that can be exploited in the primary elections and by the Democrats in the general election. But, with that said, Sarah Palin has said it is a time for choosing and choose we must.

Winner: Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney appeared Presidential, looked good in his skin and his suit was impeccable. Romney shows that he is a cool, calculated character who is not easily rattled. His experience in running for the Presidency these past 6-8 years shows. RomneyCare looms in the background and is very exploitable by the Obama team – they can hardly wait as a matter of fact. But, it might not help Obama and Axelrod with this very poor American economy.

Romney was able to attack Rick Perry with a smile on his face and the nasty direct mail in his back pocket. The attack television ads, especially in Nevada and Florida are just a few months away. Everyone knows they are coming. The issue will be Social Security and Romney will drive Perry into the ground with the term Ponzi Scheme.

Biggest Loser: Rick Perry

Rick Santorum’s quote in the video above is the most telling, “The more I find out about Rick Perry the more concern I have.” This was my feeling and that of the Twitterverse last night. This morning the MSM is piling on Perry.

The Texas Governor continued his folksy way, but did not answer the Social Security Ponzi Scheme questions. Perry has put forward no entitlement reform plan. Romney attacked the issues and the others piled on.

The Gardisil, “government injection” flap was devastating to Perry. We all knew it was coming and exploitable, but Michele Bachmann thrust in the knife and Rick Santorum twisted it. Perry made a poor policy decision, and certainly not a one that will endear him to conservatives – or anyone for that matter. Bachmann’s framing of the issue as “crony capitalism” and a pay off from lobbyists will be replayed time and again.

Next, was the illegal immigration issue and the Texas Dream Act. Perry signed the bill giving the children of illegal aliens an entitlement paid by American citizen taxpayers and was booed by the Tea Party crowd. Immigration is not a primary issue because the GOP controls the House, but conservatives and the Tea Party have to be wondering if this former Al Gore supporter will not be another Bush and/or McCain pushing comprehensive immigration reform. Being booed by the Tea Party is NOT a good thing for Rick Perry.

None of these single issues are fatal to the Perry campaign, but voters have to be wondering, why is Rick Perry considered the front-runner?

Losers: All of the rest

Michele Bachmann did OK and I can see her doing well in Iowa. But, her vision is narrow, has no executive experience and her voice grates on me after a few minutes.

Jon Huntsman – made wise-ass jokes about Nirvana and immigration (to Perry) and has revealed him as the rich, arrogant ass that he is. Huntsman is through with his Presidential run for this year and all time. Done – put a fork in him.

All of the rest have NO chance and debate organizers should limit the number of participants to 3 or 4, plus any newcomers.

Another candidate:

The GOP Establishment must be scrambling this morning after Rick Perry’s implosion. There are better GOP candidates out there and they should be asked to run. Mitch Daniels, Chris Christie, Rudy Giuliani, Paul Ryan are all better candidates, than any in the field. Sarah Palin probably won’t run, but she could beat these characters.

If this is the best field, then you go with Romney, run the Senate races hard and keep your fingers crossed that Obama is so weak that Romney can manage a small win. The GOP will hedge its bets by winning the U.S. Senate and effectively blocking the lame duck Obama.

I was very disappointed in this debate and am certainly not as optimistic that Obama will be a one term President as I was prior.