by Mark Silva
Republicans Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin all could stake strong claims to campaigns for their party's presidential nomination in 2012, a Gallup Poll shows today.
The potential standing of these former governors who all set their sights on presidential tickets in 2008 among the public in general is not as strong, however, Gallup finds -- with most Americans surveyed viewing Palin as unqualified.
Among the field of potential Republican prospects for 2012, Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas and Baptist mnister who won the Republican caucuses in Iowa during his 2008 bid for president, holds the highest interest of Republicans surveyed, the poll shows. As host of a FOX News program, Huckabee has maintained a high profile.
More than two-thirds of the Republicans surveyed say they would seriously consider votng for Huckabee as a GOP candidate again (71 percent). About two-thirds (65 percent) say they would seriously consider voting for Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts who helped finance his own bid for the GOP nomination in 2008, or Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska whom Sen. John McCain of Arizona picked for a running mate in 2008.
A majority also say they would seriously consider voting for Newt Gingrich, the former Republican House speaker from Georgia. Gingrich has said that he will make a decision about a presidential campaign in February, when he has a chance to assess what the potential field might be.
Far fewer offer initial support for Tim Pawlenty, the governor of Minnesota, who has said he is considering a campaign for president, or Haley Barbour, the governor of Mississippi and former Republican Party chairman. In both cases, more Republicans surveyed say they would not seriously consider Pawlenty or Barbour than those who say they would, reflections perhaps of their status today as lesser-known figures among Republicans nationally.
And, for all the potential support that some candidates may have among Republicans, the poll finds, their standing among the general public is lower. For example, only one-third of all Americans surveyed say they would seriously consider voting for Palin for president, with 31 percent saying they believe she is unqualified for the office
Even as President Barack Obama's job approval has slipped to 53 percent in Gallup polling, this survey "suggests that the appeal of these potential challengers to Barack Obama in 2012 at this point is primarily limited to the Republican faithful,'' Gallup's Jeffrey Jones reports. "Among all Americans, Huckabee and Romney perform better than the other Republicans tested, but only about four in 10 Americans say they would consider voting for either.''
Not only is support lacking for these potential Republican candidates among Democrats, Gallup finds, but no more than 40 percent of the independents who hold potential power as swing voters say they would seriously support the GOP field named.
And only half of all Americans surveyed say they believe that Huckabee is qualified to be president - the highest rating for any of these potential Republican candidates. More than 60 percent of those surveyed say that Palin, who stepped down as governor in July and will launch a widely publicized memoir this month on The Oprah Winfrey Show, is not qualified for the presidency.
Bottom line, Jones reports: While Huckabee and Romney lost their bids for the 2008 GOP nomination and while the GOP ticket with Palin lost to Obama, each of the former governors should be "considered one of the early front-runners'' for the 2012 ticket.
The findings come from a USA Today/Gallup survey of 1,021 adults conducted Oct. 31-Nov. 1. The overall possible margin of error is 4 percentage points. The findings about Republicans surveyed (301) and independents surveyed (347) carry possible margins of error of plus or minus 7 percentage ponts.
Comments
The Party of Yes We Can vs. the Party of No and Fear! Democrats must again take up their chant, Yes We Can and lead by leading and accomplishing reforms -- like health care which is tied to the deficit and the bankrupting of businesses. Those timid Dems who refuse to take issue with the insurance companies will lose their seats in the coming elections. Those who stand firm for the people will be re-elected to fight on! It is interesting to note that the three Democrats who won houseseats in Tuesday's elections which had previously been held by Republicans in New York and California, all embraced the current health plan and a Public Option! Democratic congresspeople should not be led astray by the Party of No and Fear.... and remember and again Reiterate confidently everyday on the house floor -- "Yes We Can"!
GOP politicians and operatives continue to dishonestly and deceptively say that they cannot support a public option, they claim that they want to keep costs down for the American people! Really? They claim this all the while knowing that a public option/competition is the only way to really control cost and to bring about true reform thereby putting a definite Halt to the “out of control” medical costs and premiums crippling people and businesses today, making it harder and harder for average Americans and young people to realize and take advantage of the American Dream. One must ask themselves, If you happen to lose your job today or tomorrow during this time when we do not have health care reform for all, who will pay you or your family's health care bills, that is if you are lucky enough to be able to see a doctor without insurance? This American Dream, which has slowly been slipping away, is in the last throes of dying, if we do not forge a new path ahead on toward inclusion and cooperation for all. This dream of America will die to be replaced with just another third world country -- becoming another failed experiment and promise, only to go by the wayside.
There is a reason that GOP always say Gov’t is the problem. They know that when you have a party of men and women in power who do Nothing for Main Street but say no or complain, who stymie reform, then government is a problem! And so it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Whenever GOP are in power or in control, the government has been a do nothing, problematic government for Average Americans and a big Boom and Bonus for the Rich and well connected. We must remember, this is Bush & the GOP’s recession. They had the power for 8 years and did nothing to uplift this country, only to rape it from Main Street, to add it to Wall Street. The GOP does not even like to raise the Minimum Wage! They care nothing if you are making it. People we must wake up now! Because look around, assess the United States’ situation that we are in and ask yourself over the last 10 years of GOP rule, what have they done for you lately? Or this country? Do you like what the United States has become? And ask yourself this, if we let them get power again, how much more further will this country be destroyed until the United States will no longer be. That is a very frightening thought!
Posted by: angellight | November 5, 2009 8:56 AM
I really don't think that either Huckabee or Romney has what it takes. They attempted to prove their muster before. Romney is not overly trustworthy and his religion is a little strange. Huckabee is soft on immigration and likes to tax and I just don't see either of them playing second fiddle. Bottom line they are weak in their resolve and wear their religion on their sleeves. Americans were fooled the last time around with Obama and I believe Palin would trounce him in 2012.
Posted by: Harold | November 5, 2009 9:46 AM
Mike Huckabee is a terrefic leader. I will be honored to have Mike Huckabee as our next president in 2012.
Posted by: Yoon Chung | November 5, 2009 10:52 AM
Good God, Harold...really?
I never know whether to pity you people...or just laugh. Even if she somehow pulled a presidential win out of her ass, how can you not see that she would become one of the most corrupt presidents in history? Her lack of REAL values, either familial or political, her narcissism and greed, her sheer lack of common sense and education, would be the death of this country. She would be lining her pockets with the blood and sweat of the "real America" that she claims to love while ostracizing the rest of the world.
Good grief. Let her run. Let her debate Pres. Obama. She couldn't even win a debate against Biden and you think she could win an entire election against our President? We aren’t talking about electing the class president at some backwoods high school. I have the visual of a majority of Republicans slamming their heads against a wall, just as they had when she ran for VP. It would be a complete “WTF” moment for Republicans and a “pass the popcorn” moment for Democrats.
I’m actually a little concerned about the GOP. They have nothing to offer, at the moment. The party is imploding and grasping at any glimmer of flash and hope they can find. All it takes to get noticed is a big mouth, fear factors and the false claim of patriotism. The members of the party that deserve any amount of respect are getting swept under the rug.
Good luck, Harold.
Posted by: WaitWut? | November 5, 2009 11:20 AM
Give me strenght..The Repubs have got to have better than those three....PATHETIC!!!!!
Posted by: kaye c. | November 5, 2009 11:28 AM
Don't discount Romney and lump him in with Huckabee and Palin. Unlike those two, he is well educated (has a JD and MBA from Harvard), articulate, and could go toe-to-toe with Obama in any debate.
Romney is a smart man who is well qualified to be President if the voters would actually check him out instead of listening entirely to the media that focuses on his religion.
Posted by: ATL-9 | November 5, 2009 11:46 AM
I do not think Huckabee, Romney or Palin are electable in a national race. Although I like Huckabee I do not think the country will vote for a Southern Baptist Minister. Romney is probably the most talented of the field but his Mormon faith may work against him. And Palin is just too divisive and uninformed on the issues. The GOP needs a candidate that not only can hold the Republican base but attract support from Independents and Soft Democrats. Republican leaders need to study the successful election results from Virginia and New Jersey for a key on how to win. They have to run good candidates that are in the center to right of center that appeal to Independents and Soft Democrats. It will be interesting to see if someone emerges out of the 2010 Mid Term Elections.
Posted by: Depot- Jim | November 5, 2009 11:50 AM
What the Hell! Let's go back to the big tent theory, and include Rush, Hannity, Beck, and a few other tea baggers carrying a confederate flag, along with an angry white mob. Party of Republicant's would be complete! Remember the Republicans never do anything for this nation they only do things to this nation! whiteagle38
Posted by: Raymond L. Juneau | November 6, 2009 9:51 PM