Buried in the Quinnipiac new poll showing Santorum leading Romney in Ohio among likely GOP primary voters is an really interesting nugget about Santorum’s general-election appeal.
Right now, among all voters, Santorum is showing strength in what is not usually a Republican stronghold: a sense among voters that he cares about regular people.
“Does [name of candidate] care about the needs and problems of people like you or not?”
Romney: 40 percent Yes, 48 percent No.
Gingrich: 37 percent Yes, 53 percent No.
Obama: 58 percent Yes, 39 percent No.
Santorum: Yes 53 percent, 29 percent No.
Caveats: Santorum’s just about to face the Romney barrage (probably delivered through the mainstream media) and this could change everything. Santorum, the face of compassionate conservativism? That will blow the MSM’s mind.
At a private lunch with Santorum at CPAC, he told us, “If I can win Ohio and Pennsylvania in November — and I think I can – it’s hard to see how the Democrats put together an electoral map that leads to victory.”
If Santorum wins, will the Rumpelstiltskinian left fly out the window on a cooking ladle or split itself in two? I never expected Santorum to do this well. It is singularly gratifying. The left will not believe it possible until it happens . . . as was exactly the case with the incomprehensible, unelectable Reagan.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseObligatory "Santorum's No Reagan" response.
The Left will not believe their luck if Santorum gets nominated.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAlso:
"At a private lunch with Santorum at CPAC, he told us, “If I can win Ohio and Pennsylvania in November — and I think I can – it’s hard to see how the Democrats put together an electoral map that leads to victory.”
He's got some catch-up work to do in both of these states, as polling shows him down anywhere from 4-8 points v. Obama in PA and OH. And it's going to be dang tough in OH to win considering how unpopular the State GOP is there at the moment.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThat poll about which politician cares the most is interesting.
The politicians who while in office most contributed to increased spending (Obama and Santorum) care the most while those who reined it in care the least.
America may be going bankrupt but Americans will continue to vote for politicians who spend reckless because they 'care.'
Bread and circuses, civilizational decline.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseObama leads him in this category. So, while it may help him beat Romney what does this get us in the general election? Squat.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhile I like Romney, I also like Santorum and would be happy with either of them as the nominee. I have to wonder about these numbers though. Will they last or do they exist only because Santorum has not had much of a spotlight shone on him yet?
I don't understand why the charge that Romney's attacks will come from the MSM though, they have not been friendly to any of the GOP candidates. Were they harsh on Newt? Yeah but Newt is easy to pile on, deserved every inch of it,and needs to drop out yesterday.
Well, regardless, this is a two-man race in my mind and both would be a good pick for conservatives.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDoes he really have a shot to win the General in Pennsylvania?
I would like to believe he's right, but I just don't see it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePlease oh please oh please oh please oh PLEEEEEEZE let Rick Santorum be the GOP nominee!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThose statements he made about contraceptives are going to come back and bite him.
"One of the things I will talk about, that no president has talked about before, is I think the dangers of contraception in this country…. It’s not okay. It’s a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.”
Romney ought to consider going after Santorum on that line of thinking. Contraceptives bad? Yeah, sorry, Rick -- maybe you should have been a priest rather than a presidential candidate.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Santorum, the face of compassionate conservativism? "
She says that like it's a good thing.
Compassionate conservatism is what gave us deficits as far as the eye could see circa 2002-2009. Negative tax rates for the "poor", Medicare Part D, No Child Left Behind - the list goes on and on, and Santorum voted for all of it, proudly. He's the poster boy for free spending Republicans during the Bush years.
The real "nugget" in this poll is that 45% of Independents hadn't heard enough about Santorum to render an opinion, one way or the other. Romney, OTOH, is deluged with negative ads constantly - both by Republicans and by Obama's campaign - and he's still within the margin of error.
How do you think that 45% is going to break once Obama and his media allies finally start to go to work on Santorum - which of course won't come a day before Santorum secures the nomination. Axelrod is salivating at the chance to run against Rick Santorum.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Compassionate Conservative" is what gives conservatives a bad name. However, I think Santorum has as good a chance to win the general as the others which isn't saying much.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"If I can win Ohio and Pennsylvania in November — and I think I can"
Well, even if he doesn't win Pennsylvania, maybe he will only lose this time by 16 or 17 points. That would be a big improvement.
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