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

    President 2012 Poll Watch: Obama Gets a Bounce – Obama – 47% Vs. Romney – 42%

    According to the latest PPP Poll.

    The killing of Osama bin Laden has given Barack Obama a bounce in his approval ratings. But it doesn’t appear to have boosted his chances for reelection.

    PPP this month finds Obama with a 49% approval rating to 43% of voters who disapprove. That’s a seven point improvement on the margin since last month’s national survey when slightly more voters (48%) gave him poor marks for his work than good ones (47%). Obama’s greatest improvement has come with Republicans (from 8% approval to 14%). He’s up with independents (from 44% to 49%) and with Democrats (from 81% to 83%) by smaller amounts.

    More voters may like Obama for the moment, but there aren’t more planning to support him next year. Last month Obama led the Huckabee/Romney/Palin/Gingrich quartet by an average of 10.75 points. This month Obama leads those same four candidate by an average of…10.75 points. There’s been no improvement in his reelect numbers whatsoever since the bin Laden death and if there hasn’t been in the week after the killing it doesn’t seem likely there will be 18 months after the killing either. What Obama’s approval bounce appears to be is an increase in the percentage of people who say they like him, but still won’t vote for him. They appreciate him taking out bin Laden but that’s not going to outweigh everything he’s done that they don’t like over the course of the last 27 months.

    Approval Vs. Disapproval:

    • Mike Huckabee – 33% Vs. 41%
    • Sarah Palin – 33% Vs. 60%
    • Newt Gingrich – 29% Vs. 53%
    • Mitt Romney – 32% Vs. 41%
    • Donald Trump – 24% Vs. 65%
    • Mitch Daniels – 14% Vs. 33% Vs. 53% (not sure)

    Again, voters are not amored with the Republican Presidetial candidates and the one new face, Mitch Daniels is not really known.

    We also tested Mitch Daniels on this poll and he trails 48-34 but what might be most interesting is his favorability numbers with Republicans. Only 23% express a favorable opinion of him to 25% with an unfavorable one. I think a fair amount of that ‘unfavorable’ rating can be explained by voters who rate just about any politician they’ve never heard of negatively- which I think is about 10% of the population- but those are not impressive numbers by any stretch of the imagination. Beltway journalists are clearly a lot more enamored with Daniels than actual GOP voters are.

    General Election Head to Head:

    • Obama – 49% Vs. Huckabee – 42%
    • Obama – 54% Vs. Palin – 37%
    • Obama – 52% Vs. Gingrich – 38%
    • Obama – 47% Vs. Romney – 42%

    Again, this is a national poll and the election contest is in key battleground sates. But, it is surprising that Obama did not receive more of a bounce with the killing of Osama Bin Laden. This event will fade with time.

    What the GOP nominess should hope is that their favorability improves.

    The entire poll is here.

    PPP surveyed 814 American voters from May 5th to 8th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-3.4%.  This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political 

    organization.  PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews.  PPP  is a Democratic polling company, but polling expert Nate Silver of the New York Times

    found that its surveys in 2010 actually exhibited a slight bias toward Republican candidates.

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

    President 2012 Virginia Poll Watch: Obama 52% Vs. Huckabee 43%

    According to the latest PPP Poll.

    Job Approval Vs. Disapproval:

    • President Barack Obama – 51% vs. 44%

    Democrats are united for the President.

    The biggest key for him is that he has the Democratic base completely behind him- 94% approve to only 4% who disapprove. Virginia still has a lot of white conservative Democrats, particularly in certain parts of the state, so for Obama to have almost unanimous approval within his party is very impressive. He even has more Republicans (albeit a paltry 7%) who approve of him than there are Democrats (4%) who disapprove. That’s not something we’re seeing in our polling very often right now. Independents narrowly give him good marks, 48/46, as well.

    Favorable Vs. Unfavorable:

    • Mike Huckabee – 37% Vs. 42%
    • Mitt Romney – 35% Vs. 43%
    • Newt Gingrich – 26% Vs. 54%
    • Sarah Palin – 31% Vs. 62%
    • Donald Trump – 22% vs. 69%

    General Election Head to Head:

    • Obama – 52% Vs Huckabee – 43%
    • Obama – 51% Vs. Romney – 40%
    • Obama – 54% Vs. Gingrich – 37%
    • Obama – 55% Vs. Palin – 40%
    • Obama – 54% Vs. Trump – 32%

    Virginia is a key battleground sate that the GOP needs to flip in 2012. Compare the results of the most recent Washington Post poll of Virginia.

    Similar, no?

    In Virginia, the GOP Presidential candidate field is not very popular and well received. If the Republicans want to take back Virginia’s Electoral College votes, they will need to run candidates other than the current field. Calling on Mitch Daniels and/or Chris Christie.

    Even if Obama was unpopular in Virginia he’d still be in a decent position to win the state again because the GOP contenders are so weak there. Take those unpopular Republicans and combine them with a decently popular Obama and you have a very difficult battle for the GOP to get Virginia back. And it’s hard to imagine the party winning back the White House without Virginia- because of that fact and because of Obama’s relative strength there, this is looking to me like the most important state in the Presidential race next year.

    Exactly and why Mitch Daniels or Chris Christie will jump into the race.

    The entire poll is here.

  • Newt Gingrich,  President 2012

    President 2012: Newt Gingrich to Announce for the Presidency on Wednesday

    Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich arrives for a 2012 presidential exploratory committee fundraising event in Atlanta on april 13, 2011. A spokesman for Gingrich says the former House speaker will announce Wednesday he is running for president.

    Newt Gingrich will announce for the Presidency on Wednesday.

    Newt Gingrich is running for president. The former House speaker disclosed his bid on Twitter and Facebook on Monday and urged followers to tune into Fox News on Wednesday.

    “I will be on to talk about my run for president of the United States,” Gingrich wrote after spending a year or more publicly laying the groundwork for a GOP presidential candidacy. “I have been humbled by all the encouragement you have given me to run.”

    Gingrich, 67, enters a Republican field that’s far from fully formed; no less than a dozen Republicans are weighing bids and only a few have taken steps toward candidacies. It’s a crop of candidates that has many in the Republican Party yearning for more options as they seek the strongest candidate to take on President Barack Obama in 2012.

    Besides high name recognition, Gingrich brings to the race a slew of policy ideas, a network of grass-roots support and a political machine years in the making. But his personal baggage – he’s on his third marriage – could hinder his chances as he seeks to woo conservatives who make up the core of the GOP primary electorate.

    The personal baggage will sink Gingrich and I doubt he makes it past the Florida primary election.

  • Day By Day,  Mike Huckabee,  Mitch Daniels,  Mitt Romney,  Newt Gingrich,  President 2012,  Tim Pawlenty

    Day By Day May 6, 2011 – Balls



    Day By Day by Chris Muir

    The South Carolina GOP Presidential debate last night was disappointing. None of the REAL candidates bothered to show up for this Fox News sponsored event.

    I mean REALLY who can take Rick Santorum, Gary Johnson or Ron Paul seriously?

    The GOP Presidential race is getting a late start and it is probably for the best. The REAL candidates will be savaged by an Obama supporitng MSM and why give them a head start prior to the summer.

    So, who do I think will run?

    Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Mitch Daniels, Newt Gingrich and Tim Pawlenty.

    Who will be the nominee?

    Mike Huckabee or Mitch Daniels.

    But, we will see, since it it not clear at this time whether Huckabee or Daniels will even run.

    Previous:

    The Day by Day Archive

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

    President 2012 Florida GOP Poll Watch: Romney 26% Huckabee 12% Gingrich 11% Palin 9%

    According to the latest ARG Poll.

    This is the third poll in less than a month that has been especially favorable for Mitt Romney. Here is the other poll.

    With Romney having a virtual lock on New Hampshire and Nevada, and him polling well in Pennsylvania and Arizona is Romney setting himslef up as the front runner?

    Perhaps.

    And, what affect will this Florida polling have on a possible Mitch Daniels or even Mike Hucakbee’s candidacy?

    A good day for Mitt Romney.

  • Donald Trump,  Mike Huckabee,  Mitch Daniels,  Newt Gingrich,  Polling,  President 2012,  Sarah Palin

    President 2012 Arizona Poll Watch: Mitt Romney 48% Vs. Barack Obama 44%

    According to the latest PPP Poll.

    Job Approval Vs. Disapproval:

    • President Barack Obama – 46% Vs. 50%

    Favorable Vs. Unfavorable:

    • Newt Gingrich – 26% Vs. 59%
    • Mike Huckabee – 35% Vs. 48%
    • Sarah Palin – 32% Vs. 62%
    • Mitt Romney – 45% Vs. 37%
    • Donald Trump – 24% Vs. 66%

    Interesting that Mitt Romney is the only GOP candidate in positive favorable territory.

    General election Head to Head:

    • Barack Obama – 47% Vs. Newt Gingrich – 40%
    • Barack Obama – 46% Vs. Mike Huckabee – 44%
    • Barack Obama – 49% Vs. Sarah Palin – 38%
    • Mitt Romney – 48% Vs. Barack Obama – 44%
    • Barack Obama – 48% Vs. Donald Trump – 36%

    Again, only Mitt Romney leads President Obama. This is the third state in the last month, including Nevada and Pennsylvania that Romney is the ONLY Republican beating Obama.

    There has been speculation that Sarah Palin may move from Alaska to Arizona. But, she would not receive a warm welcome as only 27% say they would like her to move to Arizona, whereas 57% hope she stays away. 16% don’t offer an opinion.

    Again, it seems Arizona voters are unhappy with the GOP Field. Will the addition of Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels make a difference? Or is Mitt Romney good enough?

    The entire poll is here.

  • Mike Huckabee,  Mitt Romney,  Polling,  President 2012,  Sarah Palin,  Tim Pawlenty

    President 2012 Iowa GOP Poll Watch: 26 Per Cent Want Someone Else

    According to the latest University of Iowa Hawkeye Poll.

    • Mike Huckabee – 16%
    • Mitt Romney – 15%
    • Sarah Palin – 10%
    • Newt Gingrich – 4%
    • Tim Pawlenty – 5%
    • Someone Else – 26%
    • Don’t Know – 11%

    Another poll indicative of the fact that the GOP Presidential race is wide open. The filed will solidify in a couple of weeks and definitely by mid-June.

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

    President 2012 Nevada GOP Poll Watch: Romney 24% Trump 16% Gingrich 11% Huckabee 10%

    According to the latest PPP Poll.

    Favorable Vs. Unfavorable:

    • Mitt Romney – 64% Vs. 23%
    • Mike Huckabee – 61% Vs. 26%
    • Newt Gingrich – 61% Vs. 21%
    • Sarah Palin – 65% Vs. 26%
    • Donald Trump – 47% Vs. 40%

    But, Mitt Romney’s lead is declining as Donald Trump has entered the field.

    Mitt Romney continues to be the early favorite to win the Republican race in Nevada next year, as he did in 2008. But his support in the state is on the decline, suggesting he may not be able to take a repeat victory for granted.

    This is the fourth look we’ve taken at the GOP contest in Nevada and Romney’s support there has been on a steady decline. Last July he was at 34% in the state and he maintained that 34% standing in an October poll of Republican voters. But in January he dropped to 31% and now he’s at this 24% level. It’s no coincidence that Romney’s loss of support coincides with Pawlenty vaulting from 1% in January to now 8% in the Nevada polling. The two appeal to a similar type of voter and generally any time we’ve seen Pawlenty gain we’ve seen a corresponding Romney fall.

    Mitt Romney has to be considered the favorite in the Nevada caucuses. He is Mormon and there is a large population of LDS voters who WILL march to the caucuses to vote for one of their own. Donald Trump will fade as the weeks meander towards summer.

    The GOP Caucus preference:

    • Romney – 24%
    • Trump – 16%
    • Gingrich – 11%
    • Huckabee 10%
    • Palin – 8%
    • Pawlenty – 8%
    • Bachmann – 7%
    • Paul – 5%

    Yeah, I would be shocked if Romney did not win Nevada. 

    So, let’s see how it breaks out:

    • Iowa = Huckabee (if he runs)
    • New Hampshire = Romney (but by how much?)
    • Nevada = Romney
    • South Carolina = Huckabee (if he runs)
    • Florida (where the real race starts)
    • Super Tuesday – ?

    The entire poll is here.

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

    President 2012 Poll Watch: Romney 46% Vs. Obama 43%

    According to the latest PPP Poll.

    Job Approval Vs. Disapproval:

    • President Barack Obama – 45% Vs. 52%

    Favorable Vs. Unfavorable:

    • Mitt Romney – 43% Vs. 43%
    • Mike Huckabee – 36% Vs. 45%
    • Newt Gingrich – 33% Vs. 53%
    • Sarah Palin – 34% Vs. 61%
    • Donald Trump – 32% Vs. 59%

    The General Election:

    • Romney – 46% vs. Obama – 43%
    • Obama – 45% Vs. Huckabee – 43%
    • Obama – 46% Vs. Gingrich – 42%
    • Obama – 50% Vs. Palin – 39%
    • Obama – 47% Vs. Trump – 41%

    In Nevada, a key battleground state which the GOP needs to win the Presidency in 2012 is definitely in play. President Obama is in trouble in Nevada.

    Barack Obama’s standing in Nevada has taken a significant turn in the wrong direction since early January and it appears he could have a much tougher time in the state next year than he did in 2008, particularly if the Republicans nominate Mitt Romney.

    Obama’s approval rating in Nevada is only 45% with 52% of voters disapproving of him. That represents an 11 point negative shift in his net approval since he posted a 50/46 spread on PPP’s first 2011 poll of the state. There are two problems contributing to Obama’s poor numbers. The first is that he is very unpopular with independents, only 33% of whom express favor for the job he’s doing to 65% who disapprove. The second is that Republicans (89%) are more united in their unhappiness with Obama than Democrats (79%) are in their approval. When independents don’t like you and the opposite party dislikes you more than your own likes you, that’s pretty much always going to be a formula for bad poll numbers.

    Despite his unpopularity Obama does lead 4 of the 5 Republicans we tested against him in the state, albeit by smaller margins than what he won over John McCain in 2008.

    Nevada voters are leery of President Obama. Whether it is the assinine comments about Las Vegas travel, the massive unemployment or rampant house foreclosures, Nevada is increasngly looking like an Electoral College pick-up for the Republicans.

    The entire poll is here.

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

    President 2012 North Carolina Poll Watch: Obama 48% Vs. Huckabee 47%

    According to the latest PPP Poll.

    Job Approval Vs. Disapproval:

    President Barack Obama – 49% Vs.48%

    Favorable Vs. Unfavorable:

    • Newt Gingrich –  31% Vs. 50%
    • Mike Huckabee – 42% Vs. 37%
    • Sarah Palin –  33% Vs. 60%
    • Mitt Romney – 31% Vs. 44%
    • Donald Trump – 27% Vs. 62%

    The General Election:

    • Obama – 48% Vs. Huckabee – 47%
    • Obama – 47% Vs. Romney 44%
    • Obama – 49% Vs. Gingrich – 45%
    • Obama – 52% Vs. Palin – 40%
    • Obama – 51% Vs. Trump – 39%

    PPP polling seems to think that the President is holding his own in North Carolina. But, in this point in the race for 2012, Obama is not looking particularly strong in a key battleground state that the GOP nominee must win.

    Barack Obama’s poll numbers nationwide aren’t looking very good right now but one place where he’s holding up pretty well is North Carolina. His approval rating there this month is 49%, with 48% of voters disapproving. Those numbers basically mirror the results of the 2008 election in the state, pretty good given that in our national polling right now his approval spread is running 13 points behind his margin of victory against John McCain.

    There are two data points key to Obama’s continued decent standing in North Carolina. In most places Obama has maintained his popularity with minorities but seen a significant decline in his popularity with white voters. Here though his 37% approval rating with whites matches the percentage of the vote we found him winning in 2008 and that combined with his 87% standing with black voters puts him on slightly positive ground overall. The other key thing for Obama is that he’s at 50/44 with independents here, basically matching his 2008 victory margin over McCain in the state with those voters and running counter to his 37/54 approval breakdown with them nationally.

    Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney are both withn the margin of error (4.4%) in the polls with an uncumbent President. Huckabee has NOT even made overtures to run for the office. This isn’t saying much about Obama’s strength.

    The PPP polling folks, a Democratic pollster, are having some delusions of grandeur here. Obama is in trouble.

    The entire poll is here.