Rasmussen Oklahoma 2012 GOP Primary Poll
- Rick Santorum 43%
- Newt Gingrich 22%
- Mitt Romney 18%
- Ron Paul 7%
- Some other candidate 2%
- Undecided 7%
If the 2012 Republican primary for president were held today and you only had a choice between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. For whom would you vote?
- Rick Santorum 65%
- Mitt Romney 27%
Are you certain you will vote for that candidate or is it possible that something come up that causes you to change your mind?
- Certain 45%
- Could change mind 47%
Which Republican presidential candidate would be the strongest opponent against Barack Obama in the general election?
- Rick Santorum 35%
- Mitt Romney 30%
- Newt Gingrich 21%
Regardless of who you want to win, who do you think will win the Republican presidential nomination?
- Mitt Romney 48%
- Rick Santorum 34%
Survey of 750 likely Republican primary voters was conducted February 21, 2012. The margin of error is ± 4 percentage points.
Inside the numbers:
Santorum is well ahead of the GOP pack among very conservative primary voters in Oklahoma and leads both Romney and Gingrich by double digits among somewhat conservative voters.
Santorum also leads his closest opponent by double digits among Evangelical Christian and Catholic primary voters in the state and holds modest leads among Protestants and non-Christians.
Among Tea Party voters in Oklahoma, it’s Santorum 50%, Gingrich 26%. Among primary voters who say they are not members of the grass roots movement, it’s Santorum 37%, Romney 22% and Gingrich 20%.
Santorum is viewed favorably by 84% of likely Oklahoma primary voters, Gingrich by 63% and Romney by 61%. Only 36% share a favorable opinion of Paul.
Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Oklahoma primary voters say it’s at least somewhat likely that Romney would beat Obama in November if he wins the nomination, while 73% say that about Santorum. Fifty-seven percent (57%) see a Gingrich win over Obama as likely, but most see a Paul victory as unlikely.
–Data compilation and analysis courtesy of The Argo Journal
February 22nd, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Not surprised at all.
Santorum is the perfect candidate for Oklahoma in a primary. Romney is not. That’s not shocking. And by the way, Massachusetts has as many delegates as Oklahoma, and neither is winner-take-all.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:00 pm
Oklahoma is an Indian word. It means Land of Satan.
Or so I’ve been told.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:01 pm
This is a state with a very Conservative Republican Party and a lot of Evangelicals. It’s a natural fit for Santorum. But it’s also a state in which he hasn’t been vetted, as he currently is being in Arizona and Michigan.
These are voters who don’t know the real Santorum yet. Alternately, they don’t know the real Mitt yet. When Super Tuesday comes up, they will know more….but Santorum could still win….just not by as much.
Also, look for Newt to drop….unless he gets another $100 Million from Adelson.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:05 pm
The key will be for Romney to get at least 15% and for Santorum to be held under 50%. If a candidate gets more than 50%, it becomes WTA statewide (25 state delegates) and WTA for each CD (3×5=15 CD delegates). Also, if Romney can be in second place with more than 15% in a CD and Santorum is <50%, then Mitt gets 1 delegate and Sant gets 2 delegates in that CD. It is a good thing that Newt is still in the race, otherwise Sant would get all the delegates. Mitt just needs 15% statewide to get some of the 25 proportional statewide delegates even if he is third.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:08 pm
Man, looks like sanatorum has a chance of turning Oklahoma into a red state!!!!
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:08 pm
My brother and his wife live there, they are both huge Romney supporters so he will get at least 2 votes
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:08 pm
OOOOOOklahoma where the pastors come sweeping down the plain
Where the evangelicals grow as high as an elephant’s eye
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:11 pm
5. LOL Do they ever vote blue?
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:12 pm
If we nominate Romney, we lose Oklahoma to Obama
/sarc
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:13 pm
Being from Oklahoma, my father from Oklahoma, and going back to visit after becoming highly educated…..
…aside from Kevin Durant, Oklahoma is a cess pool of stupidity and bigotry. Not surprising to see Rummy popular in the Land of the Red Dirt Rednecks.
From Lawton to Tulsa, Purcell to Duncan, it’s “We Hate Fags” country.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:19 pm
Again…a state doesn’t go to Mitt… it gets mocked. “Not surprising to see Rummy popular in the Land of the Red Dirt Rednecks”
Boomer on comment #2 mocks another candidate’s relgious beliefs that were spoken in a church in 2008.
The Daily Kos Kids are in action today I see.
Very odd.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:21 pm
11, that’s what people from Texas call Oklahomans.
And if you’ve spent any time in Oklahoma, you wouldn’t disagree. Place is full of very hard-working, industrious, engaging….idiots.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:24 pm
Booyeah,
Thanks for making my point…again.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:25 pm
Smack,
Those comments harm the posters as they are, no need to make a conversation of them.
You’re an excellent poster when you aren’t nit-picking commenters.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:26 pm
11. No one is mocking it. Calm down. We are pointing out the fact that this state is meaningless in a general because any candidate will win it by a large margine.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:26 pm
9.
We could nominate Karl Marx himself as the Republican nominee and he would beat Obama in OK.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:28 pm
You want proof?
Go to Velma, and ask them if any black people live there. They’ll tell you no, which does not, of course, mean much.
Then ask them why.
They’ll openly tell you, straight-up, black people simply “aren’t allowed” in Velma. One time, when I was working in my grandfather’s oil well engine repair shop (a very Oklahoman business) in Velma, a black man was visiting, shooting the breeze. He happened to be the father of one of the members of Color Me Bad.
After he left, I asked if he lived in Velma. My uncle responded, “Hell no! Black people aren’t allowed in Velma.” I looked into it further, and it’s the truth. They’re simply run out of town if they settle there.
Just one example.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:32 pm
Sometimes my state disappoints me. *sigh*
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:40 pm
17. That is disgusting. I did not realize anywhere was like that.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:42 pm
And let’s just go by education stats. The most educated places tend to be the least conservative. This is a fact:
http://www.statemaster.com/graph/edu_bac_deg_or_hig_by_per-bachelor-s-degree-higher-percentage
Oklahoma is the 43rd most educated state, by bachelor’s or higher. We’re allowed to question their collective intellectual heft.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:44 pm
11.
Smack – GIve it a rest. Or don’t. I really don’t care. If we can’t poke a little fun every now and then without you shrieking like a pre-pubescent little girl and calling everyone who disagrees with you a Kos Kid then I will just call you Craig from now on.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:49 pm
20
Let’s not conflate knowledge with liberalism. It’s more that rural areas tend to be more religious, and also have less money (and less education as a result) because they are out of the way of economic powerhouse areas.
People in my state tend to be less religious and are more liberal overall as a result. And the education is better because it’s more developed.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:52 pm
Boomer,
Ok…the next mocking of Mitt’s religion I will let go without attacking it……I will just believe that the poster was having some fun.
Glad we are on the same page.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:56 pm
I think the fierceness of this campaign is leading this site to be too up-tight. Remember last year when we all joked around and weren’t at each other’s throats all the time?
Another reason to want the general election to come faster. We’d all be allies.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:56 pm
6. Well, with my family, Mitt gets another 5 votes, so not all Oklahomans are uneducated yahoos. My yard sign “Oklahomans for Romney” is going up today. So race42012 can rest assured that there is such an organization, and we are trying to spread the word. Mitt does have quite a few endorsements from the OK state legislature, too. Hopefully, the debate tonight will have a good influence on the Oklahoma electorate.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:57 pm
Education = less religion = more liberal.
I think blind faith, in any context, requires a shielding from all available information, which naturally causes skepticism (which I personally believe God gave us, and us alone, for to question the universe…). Education supplies information, and information begets skepticism.
Once you’re no longer beholden to the doctrine, you’re either going to become more liberal, more moderate, or more libertarian. What you won’t become, on average, is more religious, more socially conservative, and less understanding of other people.
Poorly educated places like Oklahoma are not coincidentally more socially conservative AND less educated. Ignorance is ignorance.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:58 pm
23.
Smack – I’m not mocking Santorum’s religion, I’m mocking Santorum. Santorum brought Satan into the race not the Catholic Church.
Every time Romney has a gaffe or a perceived gaffe by you, you write a lengthy comment on how it will doom his campaign. But somehow, you try to twist me mocking Santorum into an attack on Catholicism. No sale.
I will continue to mock Santorum when he says dumb things or things that I perceive to be dumb just as I’m sure you will continue to do with Romney. I promise not to attribute everything you say to an attack on LDS. If it makes you feel better, go ahead and pretend everything I say is an attack on Catholicism. As I said, I really don’t care.
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:02 pm
24. I decided that a couple of days ago after going to church and hearing a talk on contention. I want Obama gone and while I definitely have my favorite, I am all in for whoever is the nominee. We are on the same team and need to start reminding ourselves who is on the other side. All of our candidates would be better than Obama.
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:04 pm
has to be an outlier… because I was told by some people on race42012 that all this God and Family talk from Santorum was going to sink him in the Republican primary. /s
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:07 pm
Boomer,
Santorum did not bring it into the race.
It was a 2008 speech in a church.
But you don’t know this do you?
Research Opp brought this in….and the posters on this site have been mocking his beliefs ever since.
If I make you feel uncomfortable by pointing this out…so be it.
MASS CON,
Jokes about Mormon beliefs have not lasted long here……mocking jokes of Santorum’s beliefs (Satan is trying to attack us) should not be tolerated as well….many people share smae beliefs.
I know this is a Romney site….but I’m calling it out.
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:09 pm
#26: Boo: It’s an interesting question: Education or the lack thereof. You have the uneducated in the back woods that are locked in, rock solid in their religion and other bigotry. And the other side of the coin, you have the maleducated in the faculty lounge, who are equally locked into their anti-religion and bigotry.
A pox on both their arrogant, ignorant houses.
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:09 pm
Boomer,
“Santorum brought Satan into the race not the Catholic Church.”
You really do fall for everything don’t you that comes out of the NBR camp.
You couldn’t be more wrong..and you don’t even know it.
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:12 pm
30
Actually, you’re complaining about people insulting Oklahomans for being “rednecks.” It had nothing to do with Santorum’s beliefs. That’s a different subject.
But my point was, you ought to just chill out and ignore the people who annoy you (I know, that’s rich coming from me) and you’ll have a lot more fun. Sometimes I have to remind myself of this as well.
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:15 pm
#29
No, all this God and family talk and the way Santorum talks about it is causing him to rise in the primary. It will kill him in the general were he to be the nominee.
The rationale for beating Obama is to beat him on the economy, the debt, world trade esp. China, the vision for America vis a vis European socialism and most of all leadership skills.
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:19 pm
Massachusetts Conservative,
Yep.
You are correct.
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:27 pm
I spent a few years in Oklahoma. I bet Oklahoma City goes for Romney. Other than that it’s an Evangelical wonderland where creationism is taught in schools and US history is replaced with Oklahoma state history.
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:46 pm
#30: IMO you’re missing the point. Most if not all religions believe in Satan–and yes, if you believe in Satan, you believe he’s on the attack–anywhere, everywhere. And to be fair, Santorum’s talk was to a religious group in 2008.
The problem now is the left is in the process of painting Santorum as a religion kook, not to be trusted with the reins of power. But Santorum because of out-spoken ways has given them the ammo to do it. To make matters worse Santorum claimed it was academia that was Satan-infested. Talk about stirring up a hornet’s nest. It’s just plain naive on his part to believe this won’t be an issue.
As I’ve said over and over here: No politician can withstand being labeled dumb or crazy, whether fairly or unfairly. Santorum is in the process of making himself sound crazy. Now, everybody’s religious beliefs when said out in the open, out of context, might sound crazy. And that’s why it’s wise for a presidential candidate to keep a lid on it and keep their religion close to the vest.
Show your faith by the way you life you life.
My problem with Santorum is he is an undisciplined motor-mouth. Loves, loves, loves to talk. That’s how you get out in the tall grass and off message and people use the controversial things you say to hang you out to dry.
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:59 pm
37
Most religious people might believe in Satan, but they don’t go around talking about Satan with such prominence. That’s what pastors do. He didn’t just attack academia, he attacked “smart people” as being corrupted by Satan for trying to uncover new truth. Someone should let Santorum know that academia is a lot bigger than just cultural studies, sociology and economics. Almost every scientific technology and medical advances we have today brew out of academia. Without those “smart people” in academia busting their asses, Santorum’s Trisomy 18 child would have passed away within 5 days of birth.
The problem with Santorum is that he attributes all positive things that came from academia to God’s miracles and all negative aspects of academia to people corrupted by Satan.
It’s like those idiots who openly dismiss science while blissfully using their iPhones.
February 22nd, 2012 at 6:06 pm
#30 I’m don’t think the Satan thing is representative of all Catholics or known to be a characteristic of the Catholic view of the world. I believe it’s representative of Santorum and regardless of where he spoke it, he did so as a guest speaker based on being a political figurehead. I have Catholic friends and I’ve never heard such sentiments. It’s unfair to claim that as an attack on Catholics and liken it to attacks that really are about most Mormons, or most EV’s or most whomever.
The Satan thing went viral because Santorum says outrageous, politically incorrect things on a regular basis. Sorry, I just don’t see the parity.
February 22nd, 2012 at 6:16 pm
#38 I completely agree. And Satan doesn’t try to insinuate himself into churches? And work on ignorant, uneducated people? As we both know, a candidate just shouldn’t go there.
All of this has rendered him unelectable in the general: a religious nut case.
February 22nd, 2012 at 6:36 pm
And that’s another thing. If a candidate is declaring it out in public places purposely to be heard….then it’s up for debate and discussion and commentary.
February 22nd, 2012 at 7:05 pm
OKC Mom (25): “Well, with my family, Mitt gets another 5 votes, so not all Oklahomans are uneducated yahoos.”
So, anyone who doesn’t vote for Romney is an uneducated yahoo. Right?
February 22nd, 2012 at 10:32 pm
I find it interesting that voting for someone other than Romney automatically means they are an uneducated, ignorant, racist bigot.
Wow.
In other news, some people need to go to Oklahoma to see what our state really is, because they have no clue about the people here.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:32 am
Oklahoma is not a place full of dumb people. Oklahoma is full of intelligent people who are hard-working. When did working hard become something to make rude remarks about. People have do what they can to support their family.
In Oklahoma we have such things as moral values and respect for others. Supporting the person that a person in general sees as the one who best represents their ideals,values, and has the best interest of our country in mind doesn’t detract from that person’s intelligence.