Gingrich leads in CNN/Opinion Research/Time polls in Iowa, South Carolina and Florida. And he’s narrowed the gap in New Hampshire to just single digits. Here are the results:
Iowa: Gingrich 33%, Romney 20%, Paul 17%, Perry 9%, Bachmann 7%, Santorum 5%.
New Hampshire: Romney 35%, Gingrich 26%, Paul 17%, Huntsman 8%.
South Carolina: Gingrich 43%, Romney 20%, Perry 8%, Bachmann and Paul 6%.
Florida: Gingrich 48%, Romney 25%, Paul 5%, Bachmann 3%, Huntsman 3%, Perry 3%, Santorum 1%
In a round of Quinnipiac polls, Gingrich leads in GOP primaries in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. In Florida, Gingrich leads Romney 35%-22% with Paul at 8%. In Ohio, it’s Gingrich 36%-18% over Romney, and in Pennsylvania, where Gingrich grew up, he leads Romney 31%-17%. (In a generic head to head with Romney, Gingrich leads 52%-34%.) Romney, however, does better than Gingrich in head to heads with Obama in a general election. Romney leads Obama in Florida 45%-42%, in Ohio 43%-42, but loses in Pennsylvania 46%-43%. Gingrich trails in Florida 46%-44%, leads in Ohio 43%-42%, and trails in Pennsylvania 48%-40%. Romney is better liked than Gingrich as well. He has net positive ratings in all three states, while Gingrich is a net-negative.
Political Wire notes, per Gallup: "Republicans' enthusiasm about voting in the election for president next year has decreased, with 49% of Republicans and independents who lean Republican now saying they are more enthusiastic than usual about voting, down from 58% in September. This narrows the gap between them and Democrats, 44% of whom are more enthusiastic than usual, essentially the same as in September."
BACHMANN: “Minnesota Public Radio reports that Michele Bachmann's memoir has sold just 3,000 copies since it debuted two weeks ago,” per GOP 12. “As of this morning, it's #4,230 on Amazon's best-seller list.”
GINGRICH: “Newt Gingrich met privately with about 70 leading movement conservatives this morning in suburban Washington,” Politico’s Martin reports, adding, in attendance were: “Richard Viguerie, Al Regnery, Mike Farris, Penny Nance and Jim Martin. Viguerie, the direct mail pioneer, helped organized the confab. These are the sort of Republicans who'd prefer a Mitt Romney alternative and have been casting about for some time looking for one. Many of them have sat down with other conservatives in the race.”
He hired two former Cain staffers in New Hampshire, NBC’s Jo Ling Kent reports. Cain's state operations director in New Hampshire Charlie Spano is now Newt's deputy state field director. And Jamie Coughlin, former Cain state director, is heading up social media, phone banking, and "emerging technologies" for Gingrich. And former U.S. Sen. Bob Smith (R-NH) has moved up to NH from his home in FL to work as a "full-time volunteer" at Gingrich headquarters. Gingrich’s total paid staff for in New Hampshire is now 15, outnumbering Romney’s 10.
Rush Limbaugh defends Gingrich’s conservatism. (Hat tip: GOP 12).
Gingrich’s gay half-sisters says she’s voting for Obama.
HUNTSMAN: He speaks this morning at the National Press Club in a speech he calls “Restoring Trust.” He will take shots at President Obama and what he sees as a lack of leadership on deficits, his inexperience, and partisanship. But he will pivot and say, “My opponents offer no better.” He will then take aim at Romney and Gingrich. “Governor Romney will say anything to earn the voters trust,” he will say, according to prepared remarks. “We are in this mess because there are already enough people in Washington who make a career out of telling people what they want to hear. Newt Gingrich is a product of that same Washington, who participated in the excesses of our broken and polarized political system.”
PERRY: “Rick Perry's going big in Iowa, and making no secret of it,” the Texas Tribune reports. “Perry makes a direct play for evangelical Christians, who make up a large share of the Iowa caucus turnout, in an aggressive new ad released Wednesday. … The Perry campaign denies that the ad signals that the governor has turned his focus away from the economy.”
ROEMER: “Roemer’s campaign is spending $100,000 for three 30-second ads, which will air on WMUR for the next few weeks,” the Boston Globe says. “As of Sept. 30, Roemer had raised just $186,000 and contributed another $45,000 to his campaign. The campaign’s New Hampshire state director Chris Buck said Roemer expects to qualify for public funding, and the money behind the ads will be a combination of public funds and donations.”
ROMNEY: “One of Mitt Romney’s highest-profile supporters – New Jersey Governor Chris Christie – tonight portrayed the former Massachusetts governor as a committed family man who won’t embarrass the Republican Party or America,” the Boston Globe notes. “Without directly mentioning Newt Gingrich, who is Romney’s chief rival and has been married three times, Christie said voters should make sure they evaluate the candidates’ personal backgrounds when going into the voting booth.”
Christie said, “He loves his wife, he loves his children, and he has no absolutely no hesitation in showing that affection openly. … Examine his record, absolutely. Examine his position on the issues now, they’re important,” Christie continued. “But first and foremost when you look at these extraordinary candidates, say, ‘Is this the kind of person that is always going to make me proud in the Oval Office -- and I never have to worry whether they’ll embarrass America, that I never have to worry will do something that will make me ashamed?’”
“If there were a Fox News primary, Mitt Romney would be losing it,” the New York Times writes. “Among Republican voters in Iowa, nearly 40 percent say they get most of their news from the network and its many conservative hosts, according to the most recent New York Times/CBS News poll. And among those viewers, Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, is trouncing Mr. Romney.”
And the Times notes: “Mr. Romney’s attempt to make that closing argument on Fox did not go particularly well during an often tense and combative interview with the network’s Bret Baier in late November. The interview was panned by several media pundits, and Mr. Baier later said that Mr. Romney complained about Mr. Baier’s questions about whether he had flip-flopped on issues.”


Couldn't ask for a worse choice of candidates to be President of the United States. If one of these losers unseats President Obama, it will only be because Satan is stuffing the ballot box.
Yesterday, our Republican governor announced his intention to drop 60,000 Mainers from Medicaid. And, when he took office, he and the Republican state legislature lowered the estate tax for the uber rich. Can it be any more obvious what the Republican agenda is?
Just wait ..if the people of the USA elect these idiots ..they deserve what happens to them ..The republicans said elect us and we will "end entitlements " that's your medicaid.. medicare social security etc . They also said they would " limit union involvement" and they did it ...and yet these fools vote their local congress/senate members back in !Politics is not about the people " its about whats in it for me" !
It figures, 48% in my home state. Florida is definitely the home of the RWNJ T-Party. We can't even make it thru an election without a controversy.
I should move
Take heart guys, the GOP feeding frenzy against each other will begin soon, so these numbers will change.
And, remember, the President hasn't really started to campaign. Just wait, gotta a feeling things won't be so happy in Rebaggersville.
"And, remember, the President hasn't really started to campaign"
Thanks for the laugh. Our failure of a President considers campaigning his full time job, he has done little else.
fuzzy, I know how you feel. I live in NE Fla. Redneck central for Newt here.
@booby
Honey, your pants are on fire. You will be able to tell when President Obama is full campaign mode.
@Amy,
And we could not have aasked for a worse President than the current one. When one of these guys unseats the current President it will be due to nothing other than his own policies and vision for America which the majority reject.....
Why do you believe the government has ANY right to tax the estates that were built with already taxed money? Why is this fair game to tax again, when in fact it was built after taxes had already been paid? When is it going to be enough?
And why should the "uber rich" as you put it bear the brunt of the taxation to keep the people on Medicare? If it is such an issue, why shouldnt the entire bill be spread across the population? Why is it the job of the "uber rich" to pay for this? After all, they already pay more as a percentage and way more as a monetary figure now.
It is ideas and policy you desire that will lead to end of this President's tenure. His constant demonization and divisive rhetoric which puts American versus American instead of bringing the masses together is going to be his downfall. This inflamatory rhetoric only rings true with the portion of the population that believe class warfare and Marxist principles are a better solution than the ideals that founded this country. They are the ones who wish to "Fundamentally Transform" the country. Obviously you are one of them.
But the majority do not wish to change this country and will vote as such in the next election. And BHO will lose. And it will have nothing to do with the opposition. It will be a referendum on his policy and beliefs.
When people voted for Hope and Change, they did not realize what the Change portion of this was. Now that it is realized, it will be rejected. And they lost Hope quickly.
ABO 2012
"And we could not have asked for a worse President than the current one."
Stop right there. You and I have nothing in common if you think the American auto industry should have been allowed to go bankrupt, and teachers, cops and firefighters laid off without the stimulus President Obama sent to the states.
You and I have nothing in common if you think the Bush tax cuts, which helped to almost quadruple the wealth of the top 1% while the middleclass stagnated, and our federal deficit soared, were a good thing for our country as a whole. If you don't like to pay taxes, move to Greece, I'm told tax evasion is their national pastime.
"But the majority do not wish to change this country and will vote as such in the next election. And BHO will lose. "
The polls, the pundits, the American people, and the floundering efforts of the Republican Party's wannabe candidates firmly disagree with that unsupportable statement.
The GOP will personally see to Obama's reelection. He can't lose!
Gingrich vs. Obama:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_gingrich_vs_obama-1453.html
Read 'em and weep!
Ron Paul is now closer.These polls are BS.And the ppl know it
You're not very bright, are you, Billy?
Way to give every candidate a paragraph but Ron Paul. What's the agenda here?
And santorum. They are both still running if I am not mistaken. That's what I hate about the news, "Well we don't give them the same air time because they have low numbers" . Maybe they have low numbers because you give airtime and talk about certain candidates more than other people.
traviss, it's Roemer's turn for a mention and his polling numbers are close to negative.
You know, I have seen Buddy on different MSNBC shows. While I differ with him (Progressive here), he is a cute little fellow, and I do like his view on money in politics. Oops, money and politics, that will get him kicked out of the GOP club.
Morning Phine, I see the herbal tea worked last night. I saw Roemer on Maddow and also like his money/politics take. We've had campaign finance laws up her for several election cycles and from start to end the whole thing is over with in a couple of months. With corporations becoming people in your slice of the continent elections have become an industry run by boardrooms of the wealthy. Super PACs are definitely a nono up here and no one spends millions for a 100K job. You are elected on your merits and enslaved to no one. I will admit that most votes in policy go strictly by party line, but the party itself is beholden only to its philosophy and the agenda it was elected on. It also helps that we have a multi-party system which keeps the major two parties in check.
Still drinking the herbal tea - it does seem to help and no "drug hangover" like OTC stuff.
I really envy your form of elections. While politics is a fun game to play, it is really getting ridiculous how much money and time is going into it each election cycle. And the cycle is getting longer!
Phine,
The upside on an entertainment level is that it keeps Maddow employed. I started watching her while I lived in California for a while. I used to occasionally watch FOX up here but seeing more of it down there I realized that it was not just the Comedy Channel's evil twin.
You mean to tell me Fox is a serious news channel?!?!?!? I just thought it was a poorly written Comedy Channel. I am crushed!
Rachel Maddow is my hero! Just love her program. Funny thing is, while the RWNJ's go off about her, I find her to be more "fair and balanced" towards the other side than most. Must be that homophob thing.
And she corrects herself when she misreports. Too many (all) of the talking heads on FOX just add another lie. We Obfuscate, You Decide.
If newt is there best choice. So be it. Baggage and all.
Obama-Biden 2012
Funny how everyone refers to Newt's baggage. Like BHO does not have his own baggage?
IT IS CALLED HIS RECORD.
ABO 2012
Seeing Chris Christie on the campaign trail , one wishes he had run himself !
Christie is just fantastic on the stump. His put down of loser Occupy hecklers was perfect.
(Obligatory fat joke will follow)
@booby
No fat jokes. Just going to say Christie is warming up for his time - 2016. At least he was smart enough to sit this clown show out.
Back to reality:
This year, our Republican controlled state legislature passed $400 million in tax cuts. Now, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services says there is a $120 million shortfall in its budget (although they haven't been able to explain their numbers yet.) The Republican governor has proposed dropping 65,000 Mainers from Medicaid to make up the shortfall. He wants to axe Head Start, prescription drug plans for the elderly, group homes for the disabled and elderly, dental services for low income people, care for the mentally ill, and coverage for podiatry (which helps diabetic people avoid amputations.)
The kicker is, healthcare providers say, the cost of taking care of sick people will, in many cases, simply be passed on to insured people. They say the number one cause of ER visits by the uninsured is dental pain. The state won't be "saving" any money, in the long run, just contributing to the number of mentally ill homeless people.
Republican governance at it's worst.
http://bangordailynews.com/2011/12/07/opinion/editorials/safety-net-should-be-shrunk-not-shredded/
http://bangordailynews.com/2011/12/07/news/state/lepage%e2%80%99s-proposed-mainecare-cuts-leave-some-reeling-others-hopeful/
Amy, have you heard of Dr. Jeffrey Sachs? He is an economist. He states that the biggest budget buster we have is the inability to control health care costs. He feels that this problem is the core issue - not the entitlements (which do need some reform).
Amy, dental problems lead to gingivitis which lead to heart attacks. This is all good for the insurance industry as it means there was a pre-existing condition but bad for everyone else because a heart attack is so much more expensive. A handful of people will get rich and the chants of mine, mine, mine will never end until a single payer system is put in place. We in Canada did not socialize medicare, we socialized the insurance industry. Collectively we said no to making a profit from the misfortune of others.
Newt will destroy himself , he always has and he won't let us down this time.I t amazes me that the baggers will support Newt even though he stands for everything their against rather than back the one candidate that has a shot.Obama will beat Newt twice as badly as he defeated Mcain and bagger queen Palin,maybe that's what they want?
I cannot believe Newt is leading the polls?
Newt delivered a speech to the Center for Strategic and International
Affairs in which he said, “The American challenge in leading the world
is compounded by our Constitution… either we are going to have to
rethink our Constitution, or we are going to have to rethink our process
of making decisions.” This is a direct quote from Newt Gingrich.
These are his own words! Ron
Paul 2012!
Read more: #ixzz1g3LPTzJW