‘Santorumentum’ Update
The Republican presidential race could be headed for another reshuffle Tuesday as Rick Santorum, who has lagged behind since his surprise Iowa victory, is once again challenging the dominance of front-runner Mitt Romney.
Polling over the past week shows Mr. Santorum statistically tied with Mr. Romney in Minnesota, besting him in Missouri, and running second to him but ahead of rival Newt Gingrich in Colorado, all of which hold contests Tuesday.
Polls: Santorum poised for ‘big day’ in GOP contests
New polls show Rick Santorum poised for a “big day” in today’s GOP presidential contests in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri.
Bragging rights are the only thing at stake in the three states, which won’t award delegates to the Republican National Convention in Tampa until state conventions or caucuses later this year.
The surveys by Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling show Santorum possibly headed for a victory tonight in Missouri, where he leads Mitt Romney, 45% to 32%. The former Pennsylvania senator is also leading Romney in Minnesota, 33% to 24%.
Romney’s best showing in the PPP surveys is in Colorado, where he has a 10-point lead over Santorum, 37% to 27%. Newt Gingrich is at 21% in Colorado, followed by Ron Paul at 13%.
“Rick Santorum has the potential to firmly establish himself as the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney today,” said Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling.
Obviously, it remains to be seen how this plays out (and yes, it’s a Dem polling firm, so caution is warranted), but Santorum’s leads have considerably lengthened in Missouri and Minnesota — two states where Obama lost by less than 4,000 votes and won, respectively, and (write it down, people), Romney will lose if he’s nominated.
Has any “front-runner” for the GOP nomination ever been so obviously despised by the rank and file for such an extended time period?
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UPDATE: Michelle Malkin — “Santorum’s Got Game”
The thing we will never know is how much Iowa being incorrectly called for Romney initially has cost Santorum in momentum. We heard TV talking heads ramble on about Romney’s winning the first two contests was unprecedented and burnished his inevitable status. Would Huntsman or others have done better in NH if Romney had not been called the winner of Iowa? I realize I’ve complained about this previously, but the primary process needs to be seriously reformed. Even before Iowa’s incompetence, I have been in favor of rotating states from early to late in the primary season.
Comment by Largebill — February 7, 2012 @ 6:26 pm
Of course you’re right.
Maybe the Republican Party needs to have a convention during non-presidential election years. As it is, they decide on the primary process during the presidential convention and no one gives the process any meaningful thought. In fact, if they tried to change it at the convention, they’d be vulnerable to charges that they didn’t like the process just used to pick their nominee
Comment by TBlumer — February 7, 2012 @ 6:54 pm
[...] ‘Santorumentum’ Update [...]
Pingback by ‘Santorumentum’ Update | PERSUASION IN INK — February 7, 2012 @ 6:57 pm
Another not perfect conservative:
Santorum Is A Conservative By Reputation, But Not By Deed
http://minx.cc/?post=326563
Like I said I will vote for whomever the GOP nominee is, all I ask is that my nose doesn’t bleed when I vote in November.
Comment by dscott — February 9, 2012 @ 11:01 am