Poll: Palin hot amongst Republicans, others not so much
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/05/21/art.palin.closeup.jpg caption ="According to a new poll, 76 percent of Republicans have a favorable view of Sarah Palin."]Washington (CNN) - For many Democrats in Washington, a Sarah Palin presidential run would be a dream come true.
As their thinking goes, Palin's popularity among Republican base voters in early primary states would be enough to swamp the rest of the 2012 field and vault the conservative firebrand to the GOP nomination.
But in a general election, her standing among independent and swing voters, which began to crater in the closing weeks of the 2008 presidential race, might be too much to overcome.
New (admittedly early) polling data suggests that very scenario could play out if she decides to seek the White House.
According to a new Gallup survey, 76 percent of Republicans have a favorable opinion of Palin - the highest rating among any of the presumed presidential candidates. The former Alaska governor also maintains the strongest name recognition of any potential candidate, while only 20 percent of Republicans view her unfavorably.
Palin is trailed by Mike Huckabee (a 65 percent favorable rating), Newt Gingrich (64 percent) and Mitt Romney (54 percent). Bobby Jindal, who has yet to signal any serious 2012 intentions, had 45 percent favorable rating among Republicans.
Among all Americans, though, Palin's numbers are upside down. More Americans view her in a negative light (47 percent) than a positive one (44 percent). What's more, only nine percent of Americans haven't formed an opinion of the former Alaska governor, making it difficult for her to correct that deficit.
Romney, meanwhile, appears to have repaired his image among Americans since the height of the contentious Republican primary battle in February 2008, when his unfavorable rating was at 46 percent. Now, 36 percent of Americans have a favorable view of Romney, with 28 percent having an unfavorable view.
The Gallup poll surveyed 1,020 adults between July 8-11 and has a sampling error of +/- 4 percentage points. Several potential candidates, namely Tim Pawlenty, were not included in the survey.
Romney hasn't been laying low. Once the campaigns are in full swing, voters will be reminded how often he flip flops on issues.
Instead of the White House, Romney would be running the Waffle House.
Thanks for the Friday laugh, CNN. That's a good one.
ha ha ha ha ha ha haha haha ah ha
Was Ron Paul even in this poll? He consistently polls far better than any Republican against Obama. He was within 1% of Obama in the last Rasmussen poll. The rest were at least 10% down. I guess if you simply leave him out, of course Palin will win. She's not up against much considering who the other possible candidates are.
Mitt Romney is the only viable candidate that we have who could actually win the election. Why isn't Mitt getting the press that Mrs Palin is getting?
proves a point most gop members are not very smart!!
If you want votes from the middle, you need a candidate in middle. Extremists like Palin simply don't get elected.
I truly hope Mike Huckabee runs. He has shown me that politicians can be real.
The Republican party gave us Richard Nixon and George W. Bush. And now Sarah Palin? Come on, GOP! Surely, you can do better.
Nothing personal, as I find Palin likable, just not presidential timber.
It makes me wonder why Republicans have the highest opinion of Sarah Palin a/k/a Caribou Barbie among the presumed Republican candidates for President. Is it her almost exclusive use of Facebook and Twitter to voice her opposiiton to Obama's policies and avoid facing any questions from what she calls the lame stream media? Is it her stellar knowledge and understanding of foreign affairs such as "You can see Russia from Alaska." Is it her going "Rouge" attitude? What it is, this women is an idiot. I hope the Republican Party nominates this idiot as its candidate for President in 2012.
I'm an independent who has, in the past, tended to vote Republican. In the last election, I reluctantly voted for McCain, even though I had reservations about Palin. Obama's lack of experience and his liberal policies concerned me. Personally, I like Mr. Obama: he's a decent person which isn't always the case with our elected officials these days.
I still don't like Mr. Obama's policies, but if I had to chose between Palin and Obama in 2012, he would get my vote. If the best the Republican Party can offer is an inexperienced mouthpiece who can't voice a single original idea and who covers that fact by gushing streams of nasty, fingerpointing rhetoric, then we are all in trouble.
And here we see the problem with the Republicans insisting that candidates pass a conservative "purity test", as well as the apparent inability to hear what they don't want to hear. I keep hearing that liberals are "terrified" of Palin, and to that I say "HA HA HA...oh, you were serious?"
I hope she does run for President. That would so fracture the Republi-cons that they could never win. She failed to complete her obligation to the people of Alaska and has spent all her time making millions off her failed political attempts. And then, she goes to meet Billy Graham and suddenly gets religion...............HMMMMMM Who does she think she's fooling ?
What about Ron Paul? If Ron Paul was not included in this poll, it's not even newsworthy or correct.
I'd love to see this scenario. There is nothing more fun than watching a clown leading a parade of elephants.
the last time you guys elected yourselves somebody completely clueless, look what happened - why go there again???
It seems everyday CNN runs something negative about Palin. I got it. Liberal media loves Obama hates Republicans.
I can't imagine anyone with a brain voting for her. Unfortunately there are a lot of brain dead Republicans.
I would not vote for her in a four-way race with Hitler, Stalin, and Mao! They at least were intelligent. Totally crazy, but intelligent.
These figures prove that 76% of Repukes are complete idiots!
finally...she is what she is and she will be exposed beyond the talking points...
This creton represents everything wrong with the nation. Go away, and stay away.
Palin, Rush, Glenn, Newt, and Mitt – the Republican leadership – preceded by George, Karl, Dick, Hannity, and O'Reilly. Stay awake, America.
She would rate extraordinarily high in the "Liars Scale".....
The story headline said " bad news for Palin in poll." Actually she is the one who is bad news. My God, get a grip. The woman doesn't have the brains that God gave a rock. I hope she does get the GOP nomination. I truly believe the American people have more sense than to vote her into office. But the you never know. A lot of Americans are really stupid.
And I might add, one of the reasons she has seems to have more popularity than the other potential Presidential Candidates is that she is out there running her mouth and scamming every way possible to stay in the news. Some Americans are up in arms right now due to the economy and the oil spill, etc. and she feeds on their anger. Says what she can to add fuel to the fire. And Christians that think she has such great Christian values, how about this, the Bible says to pray for those in authority, not stir up anger and hate towards them. The Bible says "liars will be cast into the lake fire of hell" and Sarah lies, lies, lies. The Bible also says not to back bite as God hates it. Does our Sarah not backbite constantly? And did not Sarah say that God would put the right one in the White House, well Sarah, why are you constantly cutting Obama down, oh I see, you meant you and McCain. YOU LOST! Get out of our lives.