Romney Would Beat Palin In A Presidential Primary In Alaska

Public Policy Polling releases another tidbit from it’s recent post-election poll of Alaska voters:

If Sarah Palin runs for President in 2012 she can’t count on a whole lot of support back home. 62% of Alaska Republicans are opposed to her making a White House bid and she gets only 17% in a hypothetical 2012 primary in the state tying for her second with Mike Huckabee behind Mitt Romney.

It’s not that Alaska Republicans don’t like Palin- a majority of them still do. But there’s a significant disconnect between GOP voters in the state liking Palin and thinking she should run for President, a divide we’ve seen with Republicans nationally and one that presents the biggest threat to a possible Palin candidacy. Even among voters with a favorable opinion of Palin in the state just 39% think she should launch a 2012 bid.

Romney gets 20% to 17% for Palin and Huckabee, 16% for Newt Gingrich, and 10% for Ron Paul. Among Republicans with a favorable opinion of Palin she pulls only 30% and not surprisingly she gets just 3% with ones who don’t like her.

Among voters who say they support the goals of the Tea Party only 31% want Palin to run and even with ones who consider themselves to be active members of the Tea Party there are still only 42% who think she should make the leap.

Palin’s favorability rating among Alaska voters comes back at 51% favorable to 40% unfavorable, which is a far cry from the days when she had an 80% job approval rating.

FILED UNDER: 2012 Election, US Politics, , , , , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. Tano says:

    I find it fascinating how Mitt Romney has remained at the top of the preference list among Republicans. Given the themes that the Republicans have been developing in their anti-Obama rhetoric, and given how the healthcare bill seems to be the perfect embodiment of what they most despise about Obama, and given how Romney was a pioneer in just such of an approach to healthcare – its hard to see how he will not be utterly torn apart the minute the campaign starts in earnest.

  2. Marvin says:

    Of the four likely Republican nominees in 2012, Romney is the only one who I believe has any real shot at beating Obama… the other three are just awful candidates (Huckabee, Palin, Gingrich.)
    This is why, as an Obama supporter – I hope Romney doesn’t win the nomination.

  3. Zelsdorf Ragshaft III says:

    I think a choice of “none of the above” will be able to beat Obama in 2012.  When the economy remains depressed even after a GOP take over of the congress.  Obama still has the power of veto.  Unlike Clinton, Obama is genetically tied to his leftist thinking and cannot change or compromise.  He is just going to sound stupider blaming Bush in 2012.  He cannot run on his accomplishments or agenda.

  4. Steve Plunk says:

    This is why Palin is a great GOP/Tea Party activist but should not run for office.  Serving as a lightning rod for Dem criticism she has made friends and enemies while others have made fewer enemies.  I suspect she’ll be a team player.

  5. Dertive says:

    I was in Alaska, on vacation, when Palin resigned as governer. The people I was hanging out with seemed to indicate that Alaskans almost overwhelmingly loved her. But I only met ~50+ people that week, so who knows.

  6. Sean says:

    I was in Alaska, on vacation, when Palin resigned as governer. The people I was hanging out with seemed to indicate that Alaskans almost overwhelmingly loved her. But I only met ~50+ people that week, so who knows.

  7. Juneau: says:

    And now tune in for the latest installment of “Let’s talk about Sarah Palin!”   We return today to the ongoing saga of the silly yet sultry siren from the great state of Alaska, Sarah Palin.
    Although she is best known on these pages as “She-who-will-never-be-President”, Mrs. Palin nonetheless consumes our readers with her private and political thoughts, activities, and speculation abounds about her future, her fame, and her fashion,  In fact, there is nothing that our readers don’t want to know about her…what, there’s a rumor that she may have a temper?  Do tell!  It’s possible that she had a three-headed baby?   Do tell!  She actually believes in God? By all means, do tell!
     
    It’s salacious!  It’s secretive!  It’s a stumble!  It’s….the Sarah Palin Show, here on OTB!
    (This is a limited offer, while supplies last.  Your actual results may vary )
     
     

  8. Steve Plunk says:

    Juneau’s absolutely right.  There are a few resident writers here who seem to have a real fascination with Sarah Palin.  A fascination well beyond what is reasonable.  I can’t figure out why but I do defend her even though I would not support her as a presidential candidate.