(CNN) – Three familiar Republicans are neck-and-neck in a hypothetical race for the 2012 GOP nomination, according to a new Gallup poll, and they're the same three that have taken the top spots in recent surveys.
Though Mike Huckabee is ahead of the pack with 18 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents saying they'd be most likely to support the former Arkansas governor in a Republican primary, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin are hot on his heels and tied, each with 16 percent of the vote.
Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman rank in the poll as relative newcomers. Both are mulling over a formal run to the White House and picking up notoriety in the meantime. Bachmann, who delivered the Tea Party response to this year's State of the Union address, received four percent support in the poll and Huntsman, the former governor of Utah, received three percent support. He recently hand-delivered a resignation of his post as ambassador in a move that stirred up the presidential candidate rumor mill.
Support ratings at this stage in the presidential race are highly reliant on name recognition. And though Donald Trump may have a household name, he registered less than one percent support in the Gallup poll. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Texas Congressman Ron Paul, rank in the middle, while Mississippi Gov.Haley Barbour, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum are tied at three percent support.
And even though South Dakota Sen. John Thune is firmly against a White House bid for 2012, one percent of the respondents expressed their support for his candidacy.
The Gallup poll surveyed 1,326 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents by telephone from February 18-20. It has a sampling error of plus-or-minus three percentage points.
how bout none of the above....
I'll take the dark horse, and NONE of the above, thank you.
Yep, keep selling them to us CNN...keep on selling them (edit, oops, left an unfinished sentece):
Mike Huckabee, who responded today to the DOJ refusing to continue its defense of DOMA by drawing an incoherent, irrational, tangential and religio-pathology-generated connection between gay marriage and the approximately $300B in "dad debt" currently outstanding from dead beat parents around the USA, who are, of course, presumably 99.99% heterosexuals who created a baby the old fashioned way.
Romney, who left MA with a 34% approval rating, installed a health care reform system similar to Obama's, does nothing with his time and money but run for POTUS, and spends more money and time on his anchorman hairdo than a small family in rural America makes in a week.
Jaberwocky Barbie. 'nuff said.
Little Timmy Polenta, who quit governing MN as soon as he took office by immediately beginning his run for POTUS, focusing on his ridiculous memoires/autobiography and traveling all over the country to key primary states.
Bachman, who just this week claimed that Glen beck could solve all our financial andeconomic and budgetary problems on his blackboards if we would jsut give him all the numbers.
Santorum, who today, all in almost the same breath, claimed today that the Crusades were not a big deal nor aggression by Christians against Muslims and then called his supporters "American soldiers" while referring to his claims that we're a "Krischun Nashun." And of course, hes oh so frothy...
All talk...nothing to offer. Only Ron Paul has any real credibility. The rest are all spin doctors, quitters, paid commentators on Facts Don't Matter at Fox or liars.
Curly, Larry and Moe
Just be thankful that none of these clowns are dealing with Libya right now, we are lucky that it is adults that are dealing with important issues while the Republican sideshow continues to prove how inept they are. Other then Romney the rest are sideshow jokes around the world.
None of these Republican "front-runners" get religious freedom and how it's a cornerstone of our democracy. None of them have any ideas to help our country; all they do is criticize and get in the way, throwing throw out the same ol' same 'ol rightwing talking points.
President Obama kept our country from going into another Great Depression and has been working night and day to better our country. He's got the smarts and the temperament to lead our nation through these challenging times.
Although I don't agree with everything he's done (extending the Bush tax cuts was a bad idea, in my opinion), he still gets my vote!
If you want to see the pay-grades for many Federal workers, go on USA jobs...make up your own mind if you think they get too much for being exempt from all liability yet base their worth on the private sector. These salaries do not include the Federal benefit package either, State wages are similar however you can go to each State's website and check out those positions.
As it becomes more obvious that Obama is not going to be re-elected, he, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and other Progressive thugs will begin an all out assault on our country. The next year and half will be the worst since the Civil War as Mr. Obama begins the wholesale rape of our economy and constituion, with the help of the above mentioned allies.
Let me say this ONE MORE TIME. NONE of them will win against our president. While Rob-me will be the overall contender – his personality will do him in. People just don't like him. Period. Anyone remember how much McCain despised him during their time on stage together? He can gather ALL the TP crowd he wants and every single bigot out there and he will STILL LOSE. He will never reside in the WH. End of story.
GOP you have a better chance at getting the White House in 16. These same old regurgitated names are not going to beat Obama....they are not going to be able to even debate with the man. You had the keys to the car for 8 years and you farked it up pretty bad and now you want the keys back....so you can what? Fark it up some more?
If Mr. Huckabee is the best the Repubs can offer, they're in b-a-d shape for 2012. B – a – d shape.
all of these people are still pushing the empty failed promise that suppy side economics and trickle down ecomomics would make every american s life better. union and non union workers have been giving back to wage payers for over 25 years. the average income for an american workers was $33,800 per year in 1985 in 2008 the average in come was $33,000 per year with much less benifits in the work place. at the same time CEO pay went up over 600 times. until republicans stop trying to manage the decline of this countries living standard to support the trop %1 of the people i can't see how they can get the votes. the only reason they get the votes now is the american people have not wised up yet and are happy to keep eating cake. i don't worry about my grandchilderns future bills as much as i worry about leaving them stuck in a life time of being trickled down on!
Let's see who will win the "Compete to get slaughtered" contest! 🙂
what a bunch of losers. nothing to offer
Few people like any of them and what they stand for. More tax cuts for corporations and the top 2% of earners at the expense of the rest of us.
Hooray! None of them stand a chance against Obama.
[Poll: Same three names, different day]
SAME old pictures – staring our way
Three are looking up wishing on a shooting star
The other two posing – "how sexy we are"
Is this the BEST the RIGHT has to offer
None of them will win, including Barbour
ginGRINCH is another who missed the photo op
President Obama 2012 – straight to the TOP!!!
Let's support our current leader, President Obama, as he continues to MOVE AMERICA FORWARD to WTF!!!!!
If this is the best the GOP has to offer, then I agree with Four And The Door: 2012 can't get here soon enough!