• Animals

    President 2012 South Carolina GOP Poll Watch: Romney 27% Vs. Palin 18% Vs. Cain and Gingrich 12%

    According to the latest PPP Poll.

    PPP has polled the key early Republican contests of New Hampshire, Nevada, Iowa, and now South Carolina over the course of the last two months and they all have one thing in common: Mitt Romney with the lead. Romney and Sarah Palin may be closely matched in the national Republican polling right now but Romney’s considerably stronger in the states that matter most. Our most recent polls have him leading by 6 in Iowa, 15 in Nevada, and 23 in New Hampshire. And today’s numbers find him up by 9 in South Carolina at 27% to 18% for Palin, 12% each for Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich, 9% for Michele Bachmann, 7% for Ron Paul, 4% for Tim Pawlenty, and 2% for Jon Huntsman.

    Romney’s formula for success in South Carolina is the same as in Iowa: dominate with the middle, lead with the center right, and avoid getting completely blown out of the water with the far right. Voters describing themselves as ‘very conservative’ are the largest segment of the Republican electorate in the state at 41% and Palin leads with them at 21% but Romney is at least right there at 20%. With moderates Romney leads by 26 points, getting 41% to Palin’s 15%. And with ‘somewhat conservative’ voters Romney gets 27% to 15% each for Gingrich and Palin.

    The question: Is Mitt Romney starting to pull away from the rest of the field? Can he be considered the front runner?

    Another question: Are Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann too late in the running to be the anti-Romney candidate?

    Third question: What would throwing a Rudy Giuliani in the mix to compete for moderate Republican do to the race?

    Last question: With Christie and Ryan favorables so high, would they become a viable anti-Romney candidate?

    The entire poll is here.

    Here is the favorable vs. unfavorable table:

  • Animals

    President 2012: Mitch Daniels Campaign Picks Up Steam?

     

    Well, if he announces it will.

    Governor Mitch Daniel’s possible run for president continues to gain national support. A political website announced Monday that Daniels is definitely throwing his hat into the ring.

    Even though Governor Daniels has yet to make an announcement, it hasn’t stopped newspapers or fellow politicians from endorsing him nor has it stopped political websites like pculcpa.com from making the decision for him.

    At the American Enterprise Institute last week, Daniels tip-toed around the issue, telling reporters he didn’t think it was too late to enter the ring.

    “I really thought it might become too late somewhere along the line. If it had it would have been that. But for whatever reason I think it is a happy surprise,” Daniels said.

    The Governor’s wife Cheri is scheduled to give an Indiana GOP speech this Thursday but reportedly this is being downplayed by Daniel’s insiders. Frankly, with Cheri’s aversion to politics (she is actually a sane politico’s wife), if Mitch is going to go, then he should annoounce today or tomorrow and spare her the grief of all of the press questions.

    But, on the other hand, maybe that is the point. Announce after her speech and spare her the follow-up questions.

    On Thursday, Daniels’ notoriously politics shy wife Cheri will keynote a dinner for the Indiana Republican Party, and it has been suggested that that would be the venue for Daniels’ big moment. But people familiar with the Hoosier governor say that it’s likely to be a bit more of a wait.

    “I don’t want to oversell it by any means,” said one Indiana Republican familiar with the situation of the dinner Thursday. “I don’t expect an announcement of any kind to come that night (if it does, it would be a surprise).”

    A more reasonable time to look for a decision, the Republican suggested, would be closer to Memorial Day.

    Governor, time to fish or cut bait – soon.