A poll released by Bloomberg this week shows that some of the potential Republican candidates are not in a good position to defeat President Barack Obama in 2012. The poll found that more Americans had a favorable opinion of Obama, who was seen as favorable by 55 percent as opposed to 41 percent who saw him as unfavorable. That compares to former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin who was seen as favorable by 28 percent and unfavorable by 60 percent, and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich who was seen as favorable by 28 percent and unfavorable by 40 percent. Two possible dark horses for the Republican nomination did better in the poll than either Palin or Gingrich. Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey remains mostly unknown but scored 21 percent favorability and was seen by 17 percent as unfavorable. Developer Donald Trump was seen as favorable by 37 percent and unfavorable by 43 percent Palin has said if she runs in 2012, she would consider basing her campaign in Arizona where one of her daughters lives The Obama camp is also looking at Arizona, and campaign manager Jim Messina has expressed optimism that the president can carry the state in 2012. The state backed favorite son John McCain over Obama back in 2008 ...
Former Gov. Mike Huckabee, whose new book debuted at No. 2 on the New York Times bestseller list, said this week that he -- and the rest of the potential Republican presidential candidates -- needed to win the South Carolina primary to win the GOPs nomination. Huckabee, who placed second in 2008, was in the Carolinas promoting his new book, and he has a point. In recent years, every Republican presidential nominee -- George H.W. Bush, Bob Dole, George W. Bush and McCain -- all won South Carolina, which is the first Southern state to hold a primary Huckabee also said that he had no interest in running for the vice presidency Huckabee is not the only possible Republican presidential candidate with the Palmetto State on his mind. U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, who appears increasingly likely to launch a bid for the Republican nomination, will be in the Palmetto State on tax day itself, April 15 ... While Bachmann appears increasingly likely to run, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas seems to be heading to the sidelines. Perry said this week that, as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, it would be inappropriate for him to back any of the potential candidates
Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi is staffing up, bringing two communications experts on board his leadership PAC. Barbour hired Jim Dyke who handled communications at the RNC during President George W. Bushs bid for another term back in 2004. The Barbour team also brought on James Richardson who handled online communications matters at the RNC back in 2008 ... Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania continues to bring prominent New Hampshire activists onto his team at the Americas Foundation PAC. Santorum announced this week that Jim Finnegan, former editorial writer at the Manchester Union Leader who helped Pat Buchanan win the 1996 primary, was on board. Santorum also announced the backing of Sue Carroll, the chairwoman of the Atkinson County Republicans Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer had a busy week since announcing the formation of an exploratory committee for the Republican nomination. Roemer hit Iowa, touring the state which has the first caucus. He also touched on same-sex marriage, arguing that the issue was better left to the individual states than the federal government
A proposal in Nebraska, giving all of the Cornhuskers electoral college votes to whoever wins the state, seems to have stalled. As of now, Nebraska and Maine award electoral votes to whichever presidential candidate wins each congressional district, with the two remaining votes going to whoever wins the most votes in the state Consumer advocate Ralph Nader, who has made numerous runs for the presidency as a third-party or independent candidate, was in Knoxville this week, speaking at the University of Tennessee Former San Francisco Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Gonzalez, best known for almost becoming mayor of that California city as the Green Party candidate and running as Naders vice-presidential candidate in 2008, appears likely to not be a candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Gonzalez was named chief attorney in the San Francisco Public Defenders Office.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
