Is It Finally Over?
In post-debate polling, according to Rasmussen Reports, Romney has eliminated Santorum's narrow lead, establishing a significant lead himself:
True to a primary season already marked by sudden and surprising ups and downs, Mitt Romney has jumped back into the lead in Michigan’s Republican Primary race....
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters in Michigan shows Romney with 40% of the vote and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum with 34%. The poll was conducted on Thursday night, following the last scheduled debate among the GOP candidates.
There will be no more debates--and Romney's campaign and SuperPac have multiples more cash on hand than do Santorum's.
Between now and the voting on Tuesday, can Santorum possibly stage a comeback?
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Comments:
May '10
Re: Is It Finally Over?
Even if Romney manages a win, it won't be by enough to firmly establish him as the nominee... yet.
Even if Santorum manages a win, too, he won't necessarily be the nominee either.
Edited on February 24, 2012 at 8:33pmSep '10
Re: Is It Finally Over?
You mean Romney might win one of his home states with less than 50% of the vote after spending another mountain of cash? Awesome! It's time to hop on that bandwagon!
Re: Is It Finally Over?
Peter, who knows? Here I sit in Michigan itself, and I do not have a clue. This is a topsy-turvy race. I am not surprised that Romney is doing better right now. He is spending a bundle here, and negative attack ads (whether honest or dishonest) take a toll. Moreover, Santorum's performance in the last debate was mixed.
Re: Is It Finally Over?
Paul,
The rest of us are watching Michigan from the outside. Can you tell us your impression which -- if any -- ads are working or not working for any of the candidates? I'm assuming there's lots and lots of tv advertising this week, but I'd be curious to hear your take on it...
Nov '11
Re: Is It Finally Over?
It comes down to electability, I suspect -- most people, for whatever reason, still think Santorum will have a harder time winning the general election. All Romney needs to do is demonstrate that Santorum is not sufficiently more conservative to take a greater risk by nominating him, and fairly or unfairly the debate played into his hands.
Jan '12
Re: Is It Finally Over?
Romney's success seems to depend more on massive bombardments with negative ads than on either an engaging personal style or a command of the issues. That does not bode well at all. If the Democrat were not so utterly beyond the pale of acceptability for an American, a Romney nominee would deserve nothing but scorn.
Dec '10
Re: Is It Finally Over?
After all the swings in this campaign to date, you're asking this question?
It's 2012: Anything Can Happen Year.
May '10
Re: Is It Finally Over?
Not over. There's always the self-inflicted wound. Romney's raising that to an art form.
Paul Ryan 2016!
Oct '10
Re: Is It Finally Over?
I had my first moment defending Romney the other day. David Frum was misrepresenting Romney's tax plan, and I defended him in the comments (did anyone else know Frum is at the Daily Beast now?).
Dec '10
Re: Is It Finally Over?
I miss the days of yore (last Autumn) when any syphilitic camel or ham sandwich we nominated was going to beat Obama.
Edited on February 24, 2012 at 8:54pmNov '11
Re: Is It Finally Over?
The King Prawn: I miss the days of yore (last Autumn) when any syphilitic camel or ham sandwich we nominated was going to beat Obama. · 4 minutes ago
Edited 3 minutes ago
Maybe they're not gone forever.
Feb '12
Re: Is It Finally Over?
If Romney is such a flawed candidate, why are the Democrats urging Michigan labor union members and party members to vote for Santorum?
Jun '10
Re: Is It Finally Over?
No one predicted Mr. Santorum would pull off a trifecta in the last round of primaries. May I gently suggest we allow the voters to render a decision before we start the analysis.
May '10
Re: Is It Finally Over?
Because either they think Santorum is less electable (which does not make it true-- when were Democrats the arbiters of truth?) or they're just trying to muddle up the whole race and further weaken the one they still perceive as the frontrunner, Romney.
From what I've read, the latter is their strategy. About the prospect of Santorum being the nominee, they alternate between glee and fear: first, they think he'd be an easy target, then they realize he's defied all predictions so far, and continues to do so (such as the idea that he would turn off women voters-- he's actually doing better with them in the polls recently).
So either way, I wouldn't read too much into it.
I'd rather look at the candidates myself, and make up my own mind, than let what some Democrats are doing decide it for me. I'm tired of being told who to support based on supposed electability, which is really not possible to predict with enough precision.
Edited on February 24, 2012 at 9:09pmDec '10
Re: Is It Finally Over?
Over at the Daily Telegraph (UK) blogs, Mike Smithson offers an opinion that may be out of date if the Rassmussen data is predictive:
Dec '10
Re: Is It Finally Over?
Chris Deleon
Because either theythinkSantorum is less electable (which does not make it true-- when were Democrats the arbiters of truth?) or they're just trying to muddle up the whole race and further weaken the one they still perceive as the frontrunner, Romney.
Of course, some union members in Michigan may vote for Santorum because they like his manufacturing tax relief proposal. And some ethnic Catholic Democrats in Michigan may vote for him because he's like them.
May '10
Re: Is It Finally Over?
Well... there you go again...
Re: Is It Finally Over?
The King Prawn: I miss the days of yore (last Autumn) when any syphilitic camel or ham sandwich we nominated was going to beat Obama. · 54 minutes ago
Edited 53 minutes ago
It still could happen.
Re: Is It Finally Over?
Before it is over, Frum will be writing for The Nation.
Nov '11
Re: Is It Finally Over?
Hmmn.. who really lost it for me in the last debate was Ron Paul. His sneering remarks and "let´s gang up on the new kid attitude" seemed very sad and juvenile, something I would expect from a lib.
This, along with the habitual circumvention of the most obvious target (Romney), makes me wonder. I think Levin is right on the money with this guy.
Edited on February 24, 2012 at 9:52pm