Pennsylvania Republican Voters Abandoning Newt Gingrich for Rick Santorum
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that GOPers are fleeing former House Speaker Newt Gingrich as the anti-Romney for the newest conservative hope: for Rick Santorum.
It never pays to count Rick Santorum out.
A Tribune-Review/WPXI-TV poll conducted Feb. 2-6 shows the former senator was gaining strength among Pennsylvania Republicans even before this week’s victories in Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota that threaten to shake up the GOP presidential contest.
The statewide poll of 500 Republicans showed Santorum’s support more than doubled from 14 percent six weeks ago to 30 percent, putting him in a statistical dead heat with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who increased his support to 29 percent from 18 percent. Santorum’s gain was former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s loss, as his numbers here plunged from 35 percent to 13 percent.
But Pennsylvania Republicans still consider Santorum a long shot in November. More than half of them (55 percent) said Romney is the candidate most likely to beat President Obama.
Alone among the four Republican hopefuls, Romney was about even with Obama, with 45 percent to the president’s 43 percent, in a head-to-head matchup in a poll of 800 Republicans and Democrats in Pennsylvania. Against Santorum, Obama was slightly ahead, 47 percent to 43 percent, among that group in the poll with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.46 percent.
James Lee, president of Susquehanna Polling and Research, which conducted the poll, said Santorum’s growing strength among Republicans suggests conservatives are tuning in to the race.
“Rick speaks their language. They believe he’s the real deal, but they seem to draw the line when it comes to moving on to the fall,” Lee said. “They don’t seem to think he’s electable. That’s the real conundrum he’s in: How does he persuade mainstream voters he’s the guy who can win in November?”
The answer to that?
With.
Great.
Difficulty.
8 Responses to “Pennsylvania Republican Voters Abandoning Newt Gingrich for Rick Santorum”
Love the pic. A thousand words and all..
Republicans are finally realizing that Barack H. Obama is the person we all need to lead America for the next four years.
If they have any sense at all they’ll dump the tea-baggers and give control of the lower house to the Democrats too.
Well, Rick’s biggest problem with Republicans is that they simply never thought he was a legit candidate. All of the sudden it turns out he won Iowa and he just took 3 states…so now he is looking much more electable. Newt was the conservative in the race until people finally learned a few things about him…now he is basically toast…so Rick is the last conservative standing.
Rick should be thanking Newt for keeping the race alive.
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Rick’s still not electable. He’s just the GOP’s latest crush— they are not in love with the inevitable nominee and perennial candidate, Mitt Romney. If they delude themselves into believing Rick Santorum, who lost his Senate seat by 18% in 2006 could win the whole shebang, they’ll be looking at 4 more years of Obama.
My guess is that at CPAC Mitt will make nice with the movement conservatives, say all the code words that convince GOP primary voters that he’s the real deal, and we’ll see the end of their flirtation with Santorum. Virulent hatred of the president will trump any need to stick with the true conservative over the unknown (Yes, Romney is the unknown)
I think Rick’s wins are less about him and more about dissatisfaction with Romney.
True BB, but where do dissatisfied Reps go???
They had to hold their nose to vote for McCain…do you think they will do it again..especially with the TP in full revolt?
Shannon- Either they stay home or hold their nose and vote for Romney. Having to count on the GOP’s desire to oust Obama will hurt Mitt in the general