Public Opinion from the Republican Wing
Former Masschusetts governor Mitt Romney last Friday told reporters he spoke for "the Republican wing of the Republican party," echoing a line made famous by Democrats Howard Dean and Paul Wellstone. The quip prompted an uproar among his competitors for the Republican nomination.
But the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that Romney's message hasn't quite sunk in with the party faithful.
Just over one in 10 Republicans and GOP-leaning independents say Romney "best reflects the Republican Party's values," but more say so of frontrunner Rudy Giuliani, former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson and Arizona Senator John McCain.
Among conservative Republicans, three in 10 say Thompson is the party's purest representative, twice as many as say Romney. A quarter feel McCain best fills that role, 18 percent say it's Giuliani.
Those who are closely following the presidential race give an edge to McCain on this question: 29 percent say the Senator from Arizona while 24 percent cite Thompson. Giuliani and Romney are about even with 18 percent and 15 percent, respectively.
The poll also asked people to name the candidate they trust most to handle six issues key to the upcoming primaries and caucuses. Romney had a lead on none of the six. While he runs about even with Thompson and McCain on handling domestic issues, on foreign policy matters, he does not reach double digits.
Q: Regardless of who you may support, who do you trust most to handle...
Giuliani McCain Romney Thompson
Health care 33 16 17 18
Social issues 41 15 14 18
The economy 36 18 13 20
Immigration issues 34 21 10 16
The war in Iraq 37 31 5 16
The U.S. campaign
against terrorism 45 27 4 13
Results among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. For methodology and full question wording, click here.
By Jennifer Agiesta |
October 17, 2007; 5:35 PM ET
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Posted by: Al Voss | October 18, 2007 01:39 PM
Al Voss,
I must say your analysis may be incredibly correct but it's so early on in the campaign how can you judge these candidates for sure? Are you sure you want to base the majority of your opinions on the past actions of these people? I apologize for the assumption on my part, but it does however seem as if you are doing just that. Elections are a little more than a year away how can you be so certain on your outlook for the candidates that you post it on the fabulous "world wide web"?
Posted by: Calico Miller | October 18, 2007 09:22 PM
Isn't that the point?
Public education is in turmoil helped along by "No Child Left Behind."
States are strapped financially for funds that normally would have been returned to them but have been cut off by the federal government.
The housing industry has been allowed to run wilily nilly without federal over site. Considering how the industry has been backed, poorly secured loans encouraged by the banking industry, it reminds me how another Bush administration watched the Savings & Loans collapse because of poorly contrived securities.
Corporate corruption appears to be at an all time high; CEOs have never made so much money while employees have been left to flounder.
And we're in a war based on figures released by former Bush aide and now Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels only a few billion dollars would be necessary to cover it.
This administration and its GOP faithful, have spoken from the corner of their mouths from day one. Isn't this the very point? Maybe the GOP needs to reconsider just what values it considers to be in the best interest of the American public.
Posted by: Ned Delaney | October 19, 2007 12:15 PM
Polls today mean absolutely nothing, other than providing the Dems a chance to wet their fingers, stick 'em in the air, and chase the latest poll...
IF POLLS ACTUALLY menat anything this far out... Dukakis would have beat Bush Sr., Dean would've beaten Bush Jr., and Al Gore would have won in a landslide in 2000.
It's funny how everybody complains that the political process is starting way to early... then some people turn around and ask the GOP why they haven't settled on their own Hillary-like messiah to save them.
Hillary may be "the chosen one" more than a year before the actaul election... but that only means the GOP has that much more time to expose her socialist agenda... while thoughfully vetting their candidate.
Heck, if the polls were right 2 months ago, McCain shouldn't even be here.... right?
POLLS
ARE
USELESS!
Posted by: otherrandomstuff | October 19, 2007 12:34 PM
our republican hopefuls still dont get it..They are jumping all over the board ,talk about flip floppers were seeing just that.Rudi would be our biggest mistake for real,im afraid because of Sean Hannity and his followers rudi seems to keep coming along this man is neck deep in the open borders her represents Juan Carlos and all his ventures selling our country to mexico, he will take all guns ,he is pro Gay issues on all fronts he is for any abortions yet he is our guy ,,not mine Romney is for border controll yesterday,,, today he wants to issue work Visas to illeagles//Mccaine wants talk radio to go away for good and ls for open borders and amnesty..WE had all better do everything we can to get Huckabe,and duncan Hunter to pool their funds and get together on a ticket as president and vice this would be what we nrrd close the borders until we get a handle on it ..the Irs gone with a fair tax strong religeon beliefs and supports the 2nd amend.and never once has either of them changed their story
Posted by: D.Toney | October 22, 2007 04:12 AM
Al,
So you think it's time for a little "Law and Order" in Washington? Thompson's a joke...if you value incompetence then value Thompson. Haven't we suffered enough under George W.?
Posted by: Adam | October 26, 2007 10:14 AM
I would like to see Duncan Hunter move higher in the polls. He's the only one that I agree with on almost every issue. Any other candidate I would vote for simply on a "lesser of two evils" basis. This is the first presidential election I will be voting in and I want to be open minded to all parties, but the democratic candidates are far too socialist. I am hearing a lot of modern-day Marxism from them.
Posted by: Melissa | October 30, 2007 11:46 AM
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I don't understand the poll results, I do understand that Giuliani is NOT the man I trust with anything.
Perhaps if I were to buy a used car, Romney would look like the salesman I would expect and Giuliani seems like a finance manager.
Thompson is the consistent conservative. I trust Thompson to handle all the issues, by far, better than the others. One of the instrinsic values of Thompson, is that like Reagan, he will surround himself with advisors that ARE experts.
The other candidates seem so full of themselves that they seem closed minded.
Don't forget, in a crisis, Romney would check with his lawyers for advice, Ron Paul would check with our foreign allies (both statements made publicly).
I believe Thompson would check with his expert advisors and make a decision based on values and and his gut.
Just so McCain doesn't feel left out, I admire his service and sacrifice to our country but he blew it with his Immigration compromise. I think McCain might be more of a social liberal than Giuliani.
Al Voss
Macon, Ga alvoss06@yahoo.com