Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul are the two candidates most likely to beat Barack Obama in a general election, a new CNN/ORC poll predicts.
Romney enjoys a narrow 48-47 percent lead over Obama in a hypothetical general election, while Paul trails Obama 48-46 percent. Both of those results are within the poll’s margin of error.
The other GOP candidates didn’t fare so well. Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum – who has been promoting himself in South Carolina as a “full spectrum conservative” who can beat Obama – trails the president in a general election match-up by a 51-45 percent margin. Meanwhile former U.S. Speaker Newt Gingrich fares even worse, trailing Obama by a 52-43 percent margin.
The CNN/ORC poll surveyed 1,021 adults nationwide on January 11-12. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points.
Frankly, we’ve never had much use for “electability,” but in this case it’s nice to know that the principled Republican choice for president would fare every bit as well against Obama as the unprincipled one.
***
By Jack Lopere January 17, 2012 at 10:12 am
Ron Paul only trails Obama by 2 point (margin of error) and he is taking a beating from everyone about not being electable. If/when he takes the nomination, and the general electorate gets to hear his message of a humble foreign policy and economic freedom – there will be no contest. Paul is the GOP’s only hope to reclaim the hearts of the American people.
By ? January 17, 2012 at 11:04 am
I have no doubt that if hell somehow froze over and Paul got the GOP nomination that he’d steamroll Obama…it would be a landslide.
By Jeff Heasley January 17, 2012 at 11:10 am
How is Romney “electable” if all the Ron Paul support won’t vote for him? They’re either going to sit it out or write in Paul.
This really seems like a no-brainer.
Ron Paul brings in independents, democrats, and most importantly, the youth and people who have never voted before. If the GOP wants to expand the party, they better select Paul.
What are they so afraid of? That government might actually get cut back?!
When you put Obama’s rhetoric against his record and then match Paul’s rhetoric and see that it aligns 100% with his record, there’ll be no contest. People want someone that won’t lie to them – that’s Ron Paul.
By snodgrass January 17, 2012 at 11:12 am
Ron Paul’s lack of electability is a media fantasy. If Ron Paul was truly unelectable, he would have been history after the last election. His message hasn’t changed at all, but his support has grown exponentially since then. Besides, he was re-elected to Congress over and over again by the people who knew him best.
Obama would obviously have better debating skills than Ron Paul, but Ron Paul would eclipse those skills just by being himself and letting his ideas speak for themselves. That’s what has gotten him this far and that will take him the rest of the way.
By Naive January 17, 2012 at 11:20 am
Unless, Obama can be made to seem like he is beating up an old man (not necessarily a winning strategy for the GOP either…)the Chicago machine will roll over Paul with any ugly finesse. I think brokered convention is looking more likely.
By vicupstate January 17, 2012 at 11:58 am
Brokered convention? If Romney wins SC, it is all over. Evne if he doesn’t he is still in the driver’s seat.
By ? January 17, 2012 at 12:09 pm
I’m with Naive, I think there’s a good chance for a brokered convention. Especially if Romney gets 3rd or less in SC.
By Brakeman January 17, 2012 at 11:20 am
Paul will get smoked in Florida. In the general election, he can’t carry Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, as well several southwestern states. The libertarian message will die outside of SC.
By Bo Peep January 17, 2012 at 11:32 am
The dirty truth about Ron Paul is that he attracts many confused leftists who like his pacifist contrarian rhetoric.
But so what? None of the current crop of R’s can beat Obama in a general election.
If the economy improves, and it will – Obama will see to that by keeping interest rates low, cutting defense spending and backing off threatened tax increases until after the election – we will have four more years of hope and change.
And four more years of Nikki.
Bahhhhhhhh.
By Mark January 17, 2012 at 2:02 pm
The Ripper is electable because he is Wall Street’s pawn.
Paul is NOT electable because he is NOT Wall Street’s pawn.
By Jackson Baer January 17, 2012 at 2:15 pm
The audience at the debate last night should be ashamed of themselves for booing Paul when he suggested we live by the Golden rule. How dare we actually love our enemy, like the Scriptures teach! Ron Paul is consistent & honest and has my vote. I’m hoping for a strong finish in South Carolina and polls seem to show him up and down, between 12-20%. He really needs to finish closer to the 20%.
http://www.whatthehellbook.com/2012/01/05/fired-for-not-believing-in-hell/
http://www.whatthehellbook.com/the-book/
By vicupstate January 17, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Maybe Mitt isn’t so ‘electable’ after all.
A new Public Policy Polling survey finds President Obama with his best standing in a general election match up against Mitt Romney since right after the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Obama now leads Romney 49% to 44% nationally.
Key finding: “It’s not as if Obama’s suddenly become popular. He remains under water with 47% of voters approving of him to 50% who disapprove. But Romney’s even less popular, with only 35% rating him favorably while 53% have a negative opinion of him. Over the last month Romney’s seen his negatives with independents rise from 46% to 54%, suggesting that the things he has to say and do to win the Republican nomination aren’t necessarily helping him for the general.”
By This just in... January 17, 2012 at 4:03 pm
Romney Under Pressure to Prove He Was Manufactured in US
Rivals Demand He Produce Label
MYRTLE BEACH, SC (The Borowitz Report) – Controversy swirled at the Republican debate in South Carolina last night as Mitt Romney’s rivals pressured the GOP frontrunner to prove that he was manufactured in the United States.
The other candidates for the Republican nomination repeatedly pounded the former Massachusetts governor on the issue throughout the night, demanding that he produce a label proving that he was made in the U.S.A.
The attacks came amid rumors that Mr. Romney was assembled in a plant overseas, possibly in France, where a microchip was installed enabling him to speak French.
“At a time when we are losing an increasing number of manufacturing jobs to other countries, can we really afford to have a President who wasn’t made here?” asked former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Former Senator Rick Santorum joined in the attacks, saying that if it is proven that Mr. Romney was assembled overseas he might be liable for tariffs and customs duties.
Texas Governor Rick Perry abstained from the attacks, but only because he seemed unclear as to who Mr. Romney was.
The former Massachusetts governor did little to tame the controversy, flailing his arms wildly at one point as smoke billowed from his head.
“Attendez!” Mr. Romney barked stiffly, drawing hoots from the debate audience.
Perhaps in an attempt to deflect attention away from the controversy, the Romney campaign announced today that the candidate had received the endorsement of the IBM supercomputer known as Watson.
By :) January 17, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Everyone knows Willard was manufactured on Kolob, not in the US.
The reason he doesn’t have a label proving it is that it was lost with the Golden Plates. Find the Plates and you’ll find the label silly.