Plus: Commentary From The Elderly Blogger
By Dell Hill
Yesterday we gave you the very latest Rasmussen Poll results for the field of Republican candidates; today we post the latest CBS numbers.
CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.
Four out of ten Republicans believe Mitt Romney would be the most likely candidate to beat President Obama in the general election, according to a new CBS News poll.
Romney, who has lingered at or near the top of the polls since the beginning of the 2012 presidential race, led Herman Cain by a 2-to-1 margin with 40 percent support.
Cain trailed in the category with just 20 percent, followed by Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry, each with six percent. Thirteen percent of respondents said they didn't know which candidate was most likely to beat Mr. Obama.
Preview: GOP candidates ready for CBS News/National Journal debate
Electability, however, was not most Republicans' top priority when selecting a candidate: 58 percent said they believe it's more important to have a nominee who agrees with them on the issues than one who can beat Mr. Obama next year. Thirty-nine percent said the opposite.
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But the race could still change; seven in 10 Republican primary voters say it is still too early to say for sure which candidate they will support.
This view appears to have helped Cain, who continues to lead Romney and Newt Gingrich overall -- though his numbers have slipped since sexual misconduct allegations against him surfaced in late October and November. Eighteen percent of respondents said they would support Cain for the GOP presidential nomination, while 15 percent said the same of each Romney and Gingrich.
Poll: Cain tops 3-way race with Romney, Gingrich
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Rick Perry trailed with 8 percent support, and was followed by Ron Paul, who won five percent. Michele Bachmann, meanwhile, earned only four percent support.
Cain leads Romney and Gingrich among Republican voters who think it's more important that a candidate share their positions on issues; Romney leads among those who say electability is more important.
Forty percent of Republican primary voters said they prefer a nominee who has experience mostly in the business or private sector, as opposed to 14 percent who prefer a nominee with a mostly political background. Forty-one percent say it doesn't matter.
Republican voters also ranked Romney as the most qualified Republican contender to be commander-in-chief, with 26 percent support. He was followed by Gingrich, with 21 percent, and then Cain, with 11 percent.
Gingrich, meanwhile, was ranked most trustworthy in handling an international crisis, earning 31 percent support to Romney's 15 percent.
Romney, with 17 percent, and Cain, with 13 percent, came out on top as the candidates who most represent voters' values; Bachmann followed with 10 percent support.
Still, two months before the Iowa caucuses, most voters say it's still too early to say for sure who they'll vote for in the primary contests. The total number of undecided voters, plus those who volunteer that they'd like "someone else," is up five points from last month, to 31 percent from 26 percent. And seven in 10 Republican voters who do pick a candidate say it's too early to say that their minds are made up.”
Dell’s Note: You can count me among the seven in 10 who say “it’s too early to say that their minds are made up”.
Personally, I believe it’s fool-hardy to put all of your chips in front of any one particular candidate this early in the process. Your mileage may vary.
There is so very much that can change between now and election day...and certainly between now and the nominating conventions...that could cause everyone to do a double face-palm and back away from the entire process out of exasperation.
We also have an on-going opponent bashing thing happening that’s totally counter productive to everything we strive for. Instead of attacking the political ideology of President Barack Obama, many are attacking each other and their own personal favorite candidates. Without realizing the fact, you’re playing right in to the Democrat’s hand. A divided opponent is exactly what they want. It would assure them of victory in November 2012.
My advice right now?
Thank you for asking.
Eliminate Ron Paul completely. He’s not a Republican, he’s a Libertarian who’s foreign policy would result in Israel being destroyed, not to mention any and all American allies with whom we have signed treaties. So many of his ideas and statements regarding domestic issues are worthwhile to consider, but his isolationism on the world scene is a bridge too far. Anyone who says that Iran is not a concern for the United States will learn, in time, that Iran is one of the major concerns of the United States and her allies in the Middle East.
Don’t....and I repeat...Don’t elimininate ANY legitimate candidate completely. Poll numbers not withstanding, the nomination process and even the election itself are the only place where the entire electorate gets to have its say. The candidates themselves will know when it’s time to throw in the towel - and some won’t do so until the final ticket is approved at the conventions.
There is one other consideration. The position of Vice President is also to be determined. That position usually is offered to one of the finalists in the presidential campaign. To attack and totally destroy any one of the legitimate candidates would seriously impair his or her Vice Presidential credentials.
Stop looking for the perfect candidate. Conservatives (and I count myself among them) have been too busy trying to destroy every candidate except their own. That’s not going to help matters next November.
We have to remember that the strong Conservative movement in this country only encompasses a certain percentage of voters. We are NOT in the majority on the Right and it’s highly unlikely that we will take over that majority for at least another election cycle. Therefore, it’s not wise to expect even the RINOs to embrace a strong Conservative to head the Republican ticket. We don’t like thinking in those terms, but it’s reality and we have to face that reality. It will be some time before the six current Republican US Senators - known as the “Gang of Six” - can be replaced by Conservative voices.
That doesn’t mean we give up the fight. The fight must continue, but we have to understand we’re not going to win them all.
I could't agree with you more!
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