Donald Trump,  Mike Huckabee,  Mitt Romney,  Newt Gingrich,  Polling,  President 2012,  Sarah Palin

President 2012 Iowa Poll Watch: Obama 45% Huckabee 45% – Obama 45% Vs Romney 41%

According to the latest PPP Poll.

Job Approval Vs. Disapproval:

  • President Barack Obama – 46% Vs. 48%

Favorable Vs. Unfavorable:

  • Mitt Romney – 36% Vs. 44%
  • Mike Huckabee – 41% Vs. 43%
  • Newt Gingrich – 24% Vs. 56%
  • Sarah Palin – 29% Vs. 63%

General Election Head to Head:

  • Obama – 45% Vs. Romney 41%
  • Obama – 45% Vs. Huckabee 45%
  • Obama – 53% Vs. Palin – 36%
  • Obama – 51% Vs. Trump – 35%
  • Obama – 50% Vs. Gingrich – 39%
  • Obama – 43% Vs. Romney – 27% Vs. Trump – 21% (as an independent)

Iowa like Larry Sabato mentioned this morning may indeed be in play for race for 2012.

The entire PPP Poll is here.

When PPP last polled Iowa in early January, President Obama was enjoying a bit of a surge in popularity following the lame-duck session of Congress. He has since slipped, and his small leads over his main prospective challengers have accordingly closed. Half of Iowans approved of the president’s job performance three months ago, and 43% disapproved. But he is now slightly underwater, as nationwide, with only 46% approving and 48% disapproving. The slippage has come across the board. In January, 13% of Republicans approved and only 8% of Democrats disapproved, but those numbers are now reversed, while independents have moved from 49-40 to 41-50.

The good news is that the Republicans have all gotten slightly less popular as well, and none is better liked than the president. But re-election bids are more a mandate on the incumbent than the challenger, and a slightly unpopular incumbent against a slightly unpopular challenger usually produces a tie.

Looks to me that Iowa voters will be comfortable with either Mike Huckabee who won the 2008 Iowa GOP caucuses and leads in the polls there for 2012 or Mitt Romney who has been showing strength in New Hampshire and Florida. It also looks like Iowa may be a key battleground state which is surprising to me.

Does the Iowa trend mean that other battleground fronts may open for President Obama? Maybe like Pennsylvania and New Mexico?

Also, an exit question to ponder: Might Romney and Huckabee make an early deal and be the 2012 ticket? It has happened before, thinking Reagan – Bush.

Stay tuned…..