Romney hasn’t really done anything to court conservatives and the tea party and the base and has relied on an all out establishment strategy, now that he’s struggling a bit, he has nothing to fall back on.
Newt has been left for dead 3 or 4 times this campaign. But…he always has that reservoir of good will based on his record, and always knows just what to say or do to turn it around and appeal to conservatives and remind them of who he is and why they like him.
Romney has no reservoir. No margin for error. No cushion.
Someone like Newt, or Reagan, or Palin or others, they can make errors and conservatives still like them because they made a connection and there’s an affinity.
Reagan signed an amnesty and appointed the justices thta upheld Roe and the man’s a conservative god. Newt voted for the amnesty and he won big in SC and could well win big in FL. Romney meanwhile talks tougher than both of them on immigration and is flailing. It’s all about attitude and the connection.
Newt can sit on the couch with Pelosi and it won’t matter. He can support mandates and cap and trade and it won’t matter. Because conservatives feel that Newt is one of them and his heart is in the right place. As Rush said on Tuesday I believe of the debate answer to Juan Williams “Newt showed that he has conservatism in his heart, we know that now”. After 7 yrs, conservatives can’t say the same for Romney.
the Lisa Murkowksi endorsement was a perfect example. Or the McCain, Dole, Bush41 trio. Meanwhile Newt gets Chuck Norris, Michael Reagan, Rick Perry, and Sarah Palin. So far, they’ve been way more effective. Did Romney really think Murkowski would be a good thing in a GOP primary? That McCain would? Dole? That they’d help him with conservatives and the tea pary?
but if Romney had spent some more time reaching out to conservatives and the tea party and courting them and showing them he’s one of them instead of selling out to the beltway maybe he’d have some more elasticity and be better able to absorb setbacks.
Obviously, he figured he could win without conservatives and the tea party
Don’t try to be a conservative now Mitt. We ain’t buying it…
A democrat public union is spending a million in Florida to trash Romney. They’re actively trying to stop Romney and let Gingrich win. If we let them choose our nominee for us then we really do deserve another four years of Obama. Wake up people. Either democrats know Gingrich will be easy to beat, or they view him as liberal enough to accept.
Democrats running ads against Romney in Florida shows 2 things:
1) We were right that wrapping this up earlier would be better.
2) Gingrich either isn’t electable, or not a threat to democrats
Carter’s approval newer left the 30es after May, it was 31% at the time of the election, a can of orange juice with an R on it would have beaten Carter, so just because there has been some crappy polls, really doesn’t mean that Reagan’s victory was a surprise.
Reagan hadn’t been an unpopular speaker of the House.
Nancy Pelosi polls also poorly nationally, I guess that means that she is a Reagan too, also her first name is Nancy, like Nancy Reagan.
I bet 2016 Democratic primary will be tough fight between Pelosi, John Edwards and Anthony Weiner to become the next Reagan.
After all polling poorly and being despised by some people = Reagan
In the Ras poll, Romney crushes Gingrich on character and on who would be better handling the economy. The destroy Newt strategy that wrecked the Speaker in Iowa and NH will be redeployed in force, and any ‘Newt moments’ in the debate will be drowned out by Obama’s SOTU, which should remind Floridians that this silly fat attack muffin has no chance against Bam in the fall.
It is a terrible insult to compare Reagan to Gingrich. What did Reagan ever do to you to be compared to such an immoral, corrupt individual?
Plus, Reagan’s approval numbers never sank to 27%, even during Iran Contra. Gingrich is beginning 2012 ALREADY at 27% approval, 54% disapproval. That is the worst in modern political history.
Less than two weeks ago, Mitt Romney had a 22-point lead in Florida, but that’s ancient history in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Following his big win in South Carolina on Saturday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich now is on top in Florida by nine.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Florida Republican Primary Voters, taken Sunday evening, finds Gingrich earning 41% of the vote with Romney in second at 32%. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum runs third with 11%, while Texas Congressman Ron Paul attracts support from eight percent (8%). Nine percent (9%) remain undecided.(To see survey question wording, click here).
Florida allows early voting, and Romney leads among those voters by 11 points. Gingrich leads by 12 among those who have not yet voted. Fourteen percent (14%) have already cast their vote.
One-in-three (32%) say they still could change their minds before they vote in the January 31 primary. Another nine percent (9%) have no initial preference yet. Fifty-nine percent (59%) are already certain of their vote, including 73% of Romney supporters and 62% of Gingrich voters.
Newt, like all of Washington, is full of hot air. Until we send a result-oriented, proven person to DC to simply balance the budget and shrink the government, nothing else matters. If Newt applied for a real job anywhere, with his record of accomplishments and character references, he wouldn’t even get an interview.
We need business downsizing ideas applied to washington, and it starts with Newt. Newt, your fired!
Mitt is going to have to show that HE can get rid of Newt………so that Americans will believe he can get rid of Obama.
Mitt is NOT a politician like Gingrich………you know, the caustic, slimy, dishonest kind that we have too many of in DC!
I’m with Jeff…………FLORIDIANS……..don’t be suckered into the CON JOB by Gingrich and the media who WANT a slugfest and a drawn out primary that will benefit the Dems. (Yeah, I don’t buy ANYTHING Palin says!)
I hope a snake isn’t poisonous. Mitt is just now recognizing that he “blew it” by downplaying his non-existent social conservatism. It is too late. He won’t be believed.
I just crack up at the “They wanted to run against Reagan too . . . so, therefore, Newt = Reagan argument” (given his own historical greatness statements about himself, I’m sure he sees Reagan as a notch or two down from himself in reality).
The great thing about that argument is that it could be used for David Duke or Mark Sanford or Anthony Weiner or Sarah Palin or Jimmy “the rent is too damn high” guy or Casey Anthony or Adolf Hitler for that manner (BTW … how is Sanford worse than Newt?!?!?!? Oh yeah, he didn’t get caught–the second time–until after he left office, that explains it COMPLETELY!).
Newt is a ticking time bomb. He will explode the GOP and when he starts to fall it will be UGLY, he will tear everyone and everything conservative and Republican down with him. In the words of Rush (who helped get us into this mess) DON’T DOUBT ME!!
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:35 am
does he need to come in #1 next Tuesday night and what happens if he comes in #2 again?
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:38 am
hat tio John
Don’t try to be a conservative now Mitt. We ain’t buying it…
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:42 am
rasmussen poll
Gingrich 41
Romney 32
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_presidential_election/florida/2012_florida_republican_primary
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:45 am
Good to see Romney rediscovering social issues. It looks like Newt has given him a scare.
I hope he’s sincere.
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:49 am
Newt is far more credible than Mitt.
He, at least, has a record of conservative accomplishment that is very impressive.
Newt can articulate conservative solutions and he is believable.
Mitt cannot make the sale.
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:51 am
A democrat public union is spending a million in Florida to trash Romney. They’re actively trying to stop Romney and let Gingrich win. If we let them choose our nominee for us then we really do deserve another four years of Obama. Wake up people. Either democrats know Gingrich will be easy to beat, or they view him as liberal enough to accept.
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:54 am
Wow (on that Rassmussen poll . . .)
This is getting ugly for the GOP fast.
Newt as the nominee?!?!?!!?
SERIOUSLY?!?!?!?
Sure he’ll win southern states by 20%+ … but it will be a landslide electoral victory re-election for Obama.
PLEASE FLORIDIANS … WAKE UP!
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:55 am
Democrats running ads against Romney in Florida shows 2 things:
1) We were right that wrapping this up earlier would be better.
2) Gingrich either isn’t electable, or not a threat to democrats
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:56 am
6. They were salivating to run against Reagan too.
Moderates and liberals underestimate the power of well articulated conservative ideas…because they do not believe in them.
But this country is a conservative nation.
A real conservative message will win in a landslide.
it is foolhardy to doubt me
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:58 am
9:
Carter’s approval newer left the 30es after May, it was 31% at the time of the election, a can of orange juice with an R on it would have beaten Carter, so just because there has been some crappy polls, really doesn’t mean that Reagan’s victory was a surprise.
Reagan hadn’t been an unpopular speaker of the House.
Nancy Pelosi polls also poorly nationally, I guess that means that she is a Reagan too, also her first name is Nancy, like Nancy Reagan.
I bet 2016 Democratic primary will be tough fight between Pelosi, John Edwards and Anthony Weiner to become the next Reagan.
After all polling poorly and being despised by some people = Reagan
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:58 am
Sign of things to come this week:
In the Ras poll, Romney crushes Gingrich on character and on who would be better handling the economy. The destroy Newt strategy that wrecked the Speaker in Iowa and NH will be redeployed in force, and any ‘Newt moments’ in the debate will be drowned out by Obama’s SOTU, which should remind Floridians that this silly fat attack muffin has no chance against Bam in the fall.
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:00 am
9
It is a terrible insult to compare Reagan to Gingrich. What did Reagan ever do to you to be compared to such an immoral, corrupt individual?
Plus, Reagan’s approval numbers never sank to 27%, even during Iran Contra. Gingrich is beginning 2012 ALREADY at 27% approval, 54% disapproval. That is the worst in modern political history.
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:01 am
From what I’m reading on the Rasmussen 2012 Florida Republican Primary article, the Florida race is still wide open.
(Emphasis mine)
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:01 am
Newt, like all of Washington, is full of hot air. Until we send a result-oriented, proven person to DC to simply balance the budget and shrink the government, nothing else matters. If Newt applied for a real job anywhere, with his record of accomplishments and character references, he wouldn’t even get an interview.
We need business downsizing ideas applied to washington, and it starts with Newt. Newt, your fired!
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:03 am
Kavon,
Aron has the Rasmussen poll up.
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:07 am
Mitt is going to have to show that HE can get rid of Newt………so that Americans will believe he can get rid of Obama.
Mitt is NOT a politician like Gingrich………you know, the caustic, slimy, dishonest kind that we have too many of in DC!
I’m with Jeff…………FLORIDIANS……..don’t be suckered into the CON JOB by Gingrich and the media who WANT a slugfest and a drawn out primary that will benefit the Dems. (Yeah, I don’t buy ANYTHING Palin says!)
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:11 am
“I hope he’s sincere.”
I hope a snake isn’t poisonous. Mitt is just now recognizing that he “blew it” by downplaying his non-existent social conservatism. It is too late. He won’t be believed.
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:20 am
I just crack up at the “They wanted to run against Reagan too . . . so, therefore, Newt = Reagan argument” (given his own historical greatness statements about himself, I’m sure he sees Reagan as a notch or two down from himself in reality).
The great thing about that argument is that it could be used for David Duke or Mark Sanford or Anthony Weiner or Sarah Palin or Jimmy “the rent is too damn high” guy or Casey Anthony or Adolf Hitler for that manner (BTW … how is Sanford worse than Newt?!?!?!? Oh yeah, he didn’t get caught–the second time–until after he left office, that explains it COMPLETELY!).
Newt is a ticking time bomb. He will explode the GOP and when he starts to fall it will be UGLY, he will tear everyone and everything conservative and Republican down with him. In the words of Rush (who helped get us into this mess) DON’T DOUBT ME!!