Gingrich Losing Ground Nationally
Via CNN: CNN Poll: Gingrich lead gone, dead even with Romney
Newt Gingrich’s lead in the race for the GOP presidential nomination has evaporated, according to a new national survey.
A CNN/ORC International Poll released Monday indicates that 28% of Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP say the former House speaker is their choice for their party’s nominee, with an equal amount supporting former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. In CNN’s previous national poll, conducted last month, Gingrich held a 24%-20% margin over Romney.
This has been one wild process to date, with the continued surges and declines of the Not Romneys. Things seem to be shaping up for Ron Paul to have a turn as the Not Romeny, in fact.
The rest of the pack for now:
According to the new CNN survey, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas is in third place at 14%. That’s a five point rise for Paul since last month’s poll. The survey indicates Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota at 8%, Texas Gov. Rick Perry at 7%, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania at 4%, former Utah Gov. and former ambassador to China Jon Huntsman at 2%, and nine percent undecided.
At this point, the only choices for Not Romney (assuming Newt continues to fade) are Paul, Huntsman, and Santorum. And given that voting in IA is less than a month away, time is running out for too many more Not Romney’s.
A small part of my psyche is curious – is Newt realizing that being a bomb-throwing back-bencher is a lot more fun & less responsibility (and potentially better-paying) than being President, driving him to sabotage his own chances? Or is the image of an unlikable, arrogant, blowhard that isn’t a fraction as smart as he thinks he is the actual truth of Gingrich’s character, and people are just now beginning to see that?
Of course, there’s no reason it can’t be both…
Let’s face it, this is Romney’s nomination. We can get all caught up pretending that we love smart guy (Gingrich), the rebel/purist (Paul), or the honest outsider (Huntsman) but in the end we’ll all blink and vote Romney. Being a contrarian is makes you sound really cool in passing and makes for good infotainment but it doesn’t make for a good night’s sleep.
@ SLT….
I think you are right…Ron Paul’s turn to be the Not-Mitt.
But I can’t help wondering down Nostalgia Lane…remember Newt telling Jake Tapper:
And finally, today, Erick Erickson admits to himself what a good deal of us already know:
http://www.redstate.com/erick/2011/12/19/insanity/
@legion:
I don’t think Newt has the self-awareness to realize it’s more profitable to sit on the sidelines and throw bombs. Between his outrageous ego and his uncontrolled narcissism, my guess is that he had the nomination in the bag. I hope to see the pompous douche bag go up in flames.
Maybe the Newtster will stick around. It was fun watching Obama crush Trump, a sequel starring Gingrich would be pretty entertaining.
The problem with Paul as the not-Romney is that Paul’s supporters largely consist of young students and material percentages of them won’t actually show up to vote. Ergo it’s looking more and more as though Romney will be the nominee.