Results from Democratic firm Public Policy Polling’s latest Michigan poll: Rick Santorum (39 percent), Mitt Romney (24 percent), Ron Paul (12 percent), and Newt Gingrich (11 percent).
One surprising aspect of the poll: Santorum’s doing significantly better among Democrats and independents than Romney is. “Santorum’s benefiting from the open nature of Michigan’s primary as well. He’s only up by 12 points with actual Republican voters, but he has a 40-21 advantage with the Democrats and independents planning to vote that pushes his overall lead up to 15 points,” notes PPP.
This is largely strategic voting. Democrats and some independents want Obama to be reelected and are therefore supporting the candidate they are most confident that they can beat.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOr they voting for the best man.
Or they are voting to prolong the Republican primary.
In earlier states, when large numbers of Democrats voted for Romney, none of the Rombots were claiming that it was because Romney would be the easiest for Obama to beat. (Even though he would be.)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePaul has benefited the most from open primaries. The argument that Romney benefited from open primaries is a fabrication at best.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMaybe Romney shouldn't have very publicly said he would have let the auto industry go under. Just a thought.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNice strawman.
Letting the free market determine winners and losers != letting an entire industry go under.
They should have gone through the bankruptcy process if need be. Nothing more.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt's nice of Obama to double down on the subsidies for Volt that nobody wants to buy, no?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt will be interesting if Santorum wins Michigan, a Romney state. Next, after that, we have Super Tuesday, when all the most Super states have their primary, including Virginia which doesn't have Santorum on the ballot (only Romney and Paul). If Romney seems "finished" by Super Tuesday, could Paul win VA by default? That would be interesting.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRightEveryTime, I'm a Santorum supporter and a Virginian, so as you note, I am unable to vote for him in our state primary. However, I've decided to vote for Ron Paul, although I prefer Romney to him, because I don't want Romney to get the electoral votes from our state. Unless Ron Paul suddenly catches fire, I don't see that electoral votes awarded to him in Virginia would hurt Santorum as much as electoral votes awarded to Romney.
Now, do I really see Ron Paul winning Virginia? Not unless everyone is thinking along the same lines as I!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAnd you believe this poll? How convenient that a Democractic poll company finds Romney losing big time with switch over voters, to a candidate that has four years private sector experience as a junior member of a law firm hired right out of law school, and then went full time into politics as a legislator in DC, that has no clue how to solve our pressing economic, energy, deficit, and debt problems?.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo, Democrats think it prudent to let Santorum score the go-ahead touchdown? We'll take it. We're into Tebowing and they can get used to Bradying.
If the Dems really wanted to hurt the GOP, they'd show up in force for Mitt.
As for Michigan being "Romney's State - just chew on this for a moment: In some people's view:
A) Santorum is "unelectable" because he lost the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania.
B) Romney is a lock in Michigan because his father was a former governor.
Interesting... Santorum lost that Senate race to a dude whose deceased father was a popular governor of the state a scant ten years prior. "Oh, that's irrelevant!" Meanwhile, George Romney was out of office in 1969 - what percentage of the electorate wasn't even born yet (I wasn't...w00t!)?
Of course, adding to Santorum's PA woes was the fact that his Democrat opponent is famously pro-life (like his father) and pro-gun, which takes a couple of very significant "single issues" out of play. Further, the GOP sucked that year across the country. Lastly, Santorum's (party establishment driven) support of Specter seriously annoyed the conservative base.
What we don't need in the general election are murky distinctions between the GOP and Obama RE: very important "single issues" and an annoyed/hostile/defeated/disaffected conservative base. That is the closest thing to a recipe for electoral disaster the GOP could possibly arrange this cycle.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt's a surprise only to the blinkered Republican and media elite.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNotwithstanding numbers showing Santorum doing better among independents and Democrats, I'm sure many Romney backers will still cling to the notion that he's the only candidate who is electable.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAnd you are certain they aren't voting for Santorum to make sure they don't have to face Romney in the general?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo much for the "Santorum can't win independents" meme.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI never understood the favorite son thing in Michigan. WHO CARES if his dad was the governor back in the Pleistocene? Do those few people who remember his dad and voted for him really dominate the primary voting today?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePPP is such a joke.
"I got some ocean front property in Arizona.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseFrom my front porch you can see the sea.
I got some ocean front property in Arizona.
If you'll buy that, I'll throw the golden gate in free."
Santorum can win states like PA & MI in a general eletion, Romney cannot.
Several recent polls have indicated that Santorum is more electable than Romney in these potentially crucial rust belt states.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'll have what he's having!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOh my...
Santorum has proven entirely uncompetitive in Florida, NH, Maine, Nevada, South Carolina, etc, etc. He could not even win at CPAC with all the hype.
* Rick did not even get on the ballots in Virginia, Tennessee, Indiana, DC, etc.
Santorum is limited in a number of States, failing to get on the ballot in a number of areas within Ohio, Illinois, etc.
We have watched the same voices, doing anything they can to stop Romney. Some of them have been revealed to be Democrats posing as something other then they claim. The anti-Romney prejudice of some has been apparent for some time, rushing to whatever fan fare pops up moment to moment. It is hardly Conservative in nature. Fashion pushing Trump, Cain, Bachmann, Perry, Gingrich, Santorum, etc.
To think some are now going to lower their reputations over another career Washington Politician who endorsed Arlen Specter over the sound Toomey, who opposed the "Right to Work" to appease Unions, who actually supported the "Bridge to Nowhere", etc., really takes the cake.
It is a joke. Some are just stuck on a prejudice, which is destined to sink all. It is the same as the Delaware disaster. It isn't about Conservatism. Rick Santorum represents another fantasy which will only reelect Barack Obama.
Rick Santorum is another Beltway Player:
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Santorum Touts Work With Barbara Boxer, Hillary Clinton In 2006 Ad"
You had better material against Newt, Old Fan.
You might rethink that line of argument for Romney that is based on him winning only because Rick was unable to get on the ballot!! LOL.
And yeah, there is no question that Rick's shoestring budget and handful of helpers in the early days cost him in the organization department.
But it shows just how weak that such a candidate like chartered-jet Romney, with such incredible advantages over a guy like Rick who's driving his car around the countryside is still LOSING key races - unless it is a state he did not get on the ballot.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse