Poll: Santorum surges past Romney, both Republicans trail Obama

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Reporting from Washington —

President Obama for the first time has opened a sizable lead over his most likely Republican opponents, thanks to growing support among independent voters, according to a new Pew Research Center poll.

The poll, released Monday, showed Rick Santorum in a virtual tie with Mitt Romney in the Republican presidential race. Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator, has moved up as a result of his backing from Tea Party Republicans and white evangelicals. He led Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, 30%-28% among Republican and Republican-leaning registered voters in the survey, which was conduced Feb. 8-12. In a Pew survey only a month ago, Romney led Santorum 31%-14%.

But both Republicans trailed Obama by sizable margins. Obama led Santorum by 10 points among registered voters nationwide (53%-43%) and led Romney by 8 points (52%-44%). Obama’s lead over Newt Gingrich, who has faded in the GOP race, was 18 points (57%-39%). In previous polls in November and January, Romney and Obama were roughly tied. Obama has moved up because of support from independent voters, 51% of whom now back him against Romney, a gain of 11 points since last month.

The latest poll by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press was conducted among 1,172 registered voters nationwide. It found that Santorum has become the clear favorite of Tea Party supporters and white evangelical Republicans. He wins support from 42% of Tea Party Republican voters compared just 23% who back Romney. Santorum’s margin among white evangelical Republican voters was almost the same, 41% to 23%."

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-poll-santorum-surges-past-romney-both-republicans-trail-obama-20120213,0,2015323.story

[AtomicKitten]

1. Pres O has moved indies into his camp in a 19-pt swing in 3 months.

link: http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/02/13/independents_abandoning_romney.html

February 13, 2012

Independents Abandoning Romney
Greg Sargent flags a striking finding in the new Pew Research poll:

In November, Mitt Romney was beating President Obama among independent voters, 53% to 41%. Now those numbers are upside down: Obama tops Romney among them, 51% to 42%. That's a net 19 point swing of independents in Obama's direction in three months.

[caseymoz]

8. Great news, but really the poll that counts is the one taken on November 6. nt

[Kahuna]

2. The Prez is hitting his 51% plus mark. This is great news.

[Scurrilous]

6. Yep.

[Lizzie Poppet]

3. Santorum comes from behind!!!

Sorry...I just had to.

[Aerows]

5. LOL

So BAD!!!

(and SO funny)

[Dollface]

4. I wonder if moderate Repuglicans are pissed yet that Bush & Co. threw Colin Powell under the bus.

[caseymoz]

7. As disappointed as I am with Obama

Maybe after he trounces GOP ass in November, the Repubs will then rejoin the government instead of focusing their efforts on making sure he doesn't have another four years? I am curious to see how the tone changes and how Repubs might adjust their strategy after their full-court press against Obama results in a total, shameful failure.