Latest Roper Poll: Romney, Paul & a mixed bag

The latest AP/Roper Poll shows a real mixed bag. I have summarized the results below. They are in order as the poll is presented in the link. Candidate name, followed by Favorable Rating slash Unfavorable Rating:

Gingrich: 26/59
Huntsman: 18/21
Palin: 38/55
Pawlenty: 29/24
Romney: 45/35
Santorum: 25/27
Bachman: 37/28
Paul: 39/31
Cain: 25/23
Perry: 22/25

The poll is a national one, not just Republican voters. The distribution is:

Democrat: 31%
Independent: 25%
Republican: 27%
None: 16%

If you put them in rank order by their favorability rating, it looks like this, BEST on top:

Romney: 45/35
Paul: 39/31
Palin: 38/55
Bachman: 37/28
Pawlenty: 29/24
Gingrich: 26/59
Santorum: 25/27
Cain: 25/23
Perry: 22/25
Huntsman: 18/21

If you put them in rank order by their Unfavorability rating, it looks like this, WORST on top

Gingrich: 26/59
Palin: 38/55
Romney: 45/35
Paul: 39/31
Bachman: 37/28
Santorum: 25/27
Perry: 22/25
Pawlenty: 29/24
Cain: 25/23
Huntsman: 18/21

Just FYI.

reply to post by schuyler


Good day Schuyler,
definitely an interesting mix of results an the sampling speaks volumes as to the unfavorable numbers.
My .02 is that Gingrich has negatives that are untenable. Palin is a non-starter. Pawlenty is a wimp. Santorum is hard to take seriously. Romney wont escape Romneycare. Huntsman wont be forgiven for his closeness with Obama. Perry is considered a lightweight (but I like him). Paul is consistently harmed by his kook supporters. Cain is internationally naive. Johnson is getting shut out in the same way Paul is accustomed.
Somebody please convince Christie to run.
Peace,

reply to post by howmuch4another

Paul is consistently harmed by his kook supporters.

Argh...I hate having to agree with this, but I told my girlfriend just the other day "I know this will sound strange coming from me (a Ron Paul supporter), but...god damn Ron Paul supporters."

Of course not all Ron Paul supporters are obnoxious or harmful to the cause - the bulk are likely common americans like myself who are concerned about a lot of things happening with this country, and see Ron Paul as understanding these and the needed solutions (at least moreso than the other options), and I can understand the MOTIVATIONS of some of those who are - the whole situation can get very frustrating at times.

HOWEVER - their *ahem* "overly boisterous" behavior and perceived disdain/disrespect for old guard party regulars and other candidates, as well as sometimes devolving into arguments and bad behavior does much more harm that good. We try to explain to these that you can make a much greater impact through respect and reasoned (as well as spirited) discussion, but some still get carried away - I'd like to hope that other candidates have the same issue, to a matching degree?

It frequently makes me think of Gandhi's line - and no, I'm not comparing Paul with Christ here, but I feel this applies quite well:

I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.

Take care.

Originally posted by Praetorius

their *ahem* "overly boisterous" behavior and perceived disdain/disrespect for old guard party regulars and other candidates, as well as sometimes devolving into arguments and bad behavior does much more harm that good. .

well put. how does it go?...2 wrongs don't make a right? well neither do 3,4 or 5

I have to agree with both of you. I was a delegate to the State Republican Convention last time where the Paul supporters were so obnoxious and full of themselves that it turned me off to Ron Paul altogether. It took me this long to get over it. I recently decided to try to objectively give him a chance, so I've been going through his positions one by one and I have to say, I am agreeing whole heartedly with most of them. I can't say I'm quite there yet, but I'm feeling pretty positive about him right now. But his supporters are his worst enemy.

reply to post by schuyler


Thanks schuyler. Sorry for the bad representation, and I can only hope that others like yourself are willing to look past the poor behaviour of some of my fellow Paultards - as far as I can tell, there isn't anything I actually disagree with Paul on, and he covers pretty much my whole package of important issues as well - including quite of few of those that neither party seem seriously willing to even touch.

I urge you to keep looking into him as well as asking others like yourself, previously impacted by Paul supporters, to do so as I really feel a need here - I've never gotten the 'politician-y' feeling from Paul, much to the contrary I tend to only get the vibe that he's actually being completely and refreshingly honest (a rarity, there), and when you tie that into what I see as so much common sense, it really boggles me that he gets such a hard time from everyone. I have to wonder how much of that is the fault of the supporters, though.

Aside from the poor judgement the exhibit on that front, though, I do want to point out that it's a result of exuberance over a candidate that actually gets them very excited for once, coupled with what they see as disenfranchisement with the republican party as it has stood for some time. I know the republicans were (hopefully) just doing the best they could for the reasons they saw as important as well, but over the last few decades in this country, things have gotten progressively worse from a original-intent-of-the-US standpoint, and it seems apparent to those now acting such that it occurred either willfully or as a matter of neglect by party regulars on all sides. Justified or no, I can understand where they're coming from even if I can't approve the behaviour itself.

Thanks again, and be well - and whatever happens, be part of the revolution to help get this back to a nation of, by, and for the people once again...and I believe doing so will require some big shifts in what we've grown used to in the political realm.

What???

How can Ron Paul not be in the lead? Just another attack and denial of Ron Paul and his greatness!!!

Sarcasm aside,

Did they separate approval ratings by Republicans, Independents, and Democrats or was it all pooled together? I'd be interested in that.