The Other McCain

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SANTORUM SURGE SUNDAY: Final Poll Makes Front-Page News in Des Moines

Posted on | January 1, 2012 | 16 Comments

JOHNSTON, Iowa
You’re looking at the front page of Sunday’s Des Moines Register, which I just bought this morning at a convenience store down the street, and which carries the results of their final poll:

Mitt Romney tops the latest Des Moines Register Iowa Poll in the closing days before the Iowa caucuses, but Ron Paul and Rick Santorum are poised within striking distance.
The poll, conducted Tuesday through Friday, shows support at 24 percent for Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts; 22 percent for Paul, a Texas congressman; and 15 percent for the surging Rick Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania.
But the four-day results don’t reflect just how quickly momentum is shifting in a race that has remained highly fluid for months. If the final two days of polling are considered separately, Santorum rises to second place, with 21 percent, pushing Paul to third, at 18 percent. Romney remains the same, at 24 percent.
“Momentum’s name is Rick Santorum,” said the Register’s pollster, J. Ann Selzer.

A good solid third would be great for Santorum. Second place? Awesome. And we dare not dream of what Rich Lowry suggests:

If Bachmann and Perry fade more at the end — and this poll result could hurt them — Santorum is within striking distance of a stunning upset.

Yeah, that would be stunning. Even I would be stunned if Santorum somehow manages to win this thing. But why does Lowry suggest that only Bachmann and Perry have the risk of a “fade”? Why can’t Romney and Paul and Gingrich fade, too? Never mind.

The point is, if this lastest poll is an accurate measure, Gingrich and Perry are now locked in a desperate struggle to avoid placing fifth in Iowa. And yet the Perry campaign — which ought to be focused on beating Gingrich — is instead pouring a steady barrage of attacks on Santorum.

Category: Election 2012, Fear and Loathing in Iowa, Iowa, Polls, Rick Santorum

Comments

16 Responses to “SANTORUM SURGE SUNDAY: Final Poll Makes Front-Page News in Des Moines”

  1. Mortimer Snerd
    January 1st, 2012 @ 8:33 am

    “And yet the Perry campaign — which ought to be focused on beating Gingrich — is instead pouring a steady barrage of attacks on Santorum.”

    Perhaps because Perry sees Santorum as his main competitor for the powerful evangelical voting bloc?  Gingrich, not so much.

  2. Lisa Graas
    January 1st, 2012 @ 8:57 am

    Perry was asked by many social conservatives to coalesce behind Santorum. Instead, he goes on the attack against Santorum. Sad. 

  3. Dcmick
    January 1st, 2012 @ 10:53 am

    Perry ought to leave.

    Stop the ads, stop the pretense, stop the oxycontin or whatever, and just go home to Austin.

    If we never hear again from Perry, ———————- we’ll all be better off.

    He can take our unblemished angel in white with him………..

  4. Dcmick
    January 1st, 2012 @ 10:55 am

    Beyond sad Lisa, ———— more like pathetic.

    The guy didn’t devote the time, the energy, the reading necessary to be prepared for the nomination or the office.

    Instead he just buys slick attack ads.

  5. BigGator5
    January 1st, 2012 @ 10:56 am

    If Santorum takes third or better, I might be willing to back him.

  6. Steve in TN
    January 1st, 2012 @ 12:32 pm

    Santorum; our last, desperate hope.

    We’re screwed. Again.

  7. EBL
    January 1st, 2012 @ 12:51 pm

    Santorum’s surge is due to Lisa Graas and Robert Stacy McCain.  

  8. Could Rick Santorum Pull an Upset in Iowa | The Lonely Conservative
    January 1st, 2012 @ 12:51 pm

    […] order reshuffles: Santorum elbows out Paul for second.It looks like Santorum has the momentum, and his surge making the front page of the newspaper the Sunday before the caucuses shouldn’t hurt.google_ad_client = "ca-pub-1395656889568144"; […]

  9. EBL
    January 1st, 2012 @ 12:53 pm

    And the fact that Perry is attacking Santorum over Gingrich means Perry conceives of Santorum being more of a threat that Gingrich.  It is a good sign for Santorum.  

  10. ThePaganTemple
    January 1st, 2012 @ 1:26 pm

    Hey, maybe Mitt will ask Rick to be his VP. I mean, come on, there’s no hard and fast rule that Mitt absolutely HAS to pick who the establishment GOP want him to pick, is there? Surely a GOP nominee can be allowed a little leeway in the interests of party unity. After all, the party insiders have already bought the major cabinet posts, surely they can afford to be a little generous.

  11. ThePaganTemple
    January 1st, 2012 @ 3:42 pm

    I kept telling everybody to coalesce behind Bachmann, but does anybody ever listen to me? The left would just sneer at Santorum, even more so at Perry. They might actually try to act civilized with Newt. But with Bachmann they would drop their mask and reveal their true natures for all the world to see.

  12. Zazz
    January 1st, 2012 @ 7:45 pm

    The Des Moines Register puts the results of every Des Moines Register poll on the front page, how often do you brush your teeth, do you believe in UFOs, is Ron Paul the tooth fairy. Sheesh!

  13. Forex Rates
    January 2nd, 2012 @ 5:48 am

    Well this is really a good news for Sunday newspaper.

  14. Iowa Caucus 101: Everything You Need to Know for Tomorrow’s Iowa Caucus
    January 2nd, 2012 @ 7:24 pm

    […] weeks ago, I would have unfollowed someone if they had Tweeted Rick Santorum could win Iowa.  Today, it’s a very real possibility.  The GOP’s self-described King of All Issues Social has won over Iowans with his focus on […]

  15. Under the Fedora: Iowa, Queen Esther, and Classic Comedy
    January 3rd, 2012 @ 2:19 am

    […] for our readers so far; it looks like it has been for Rick Santorum, what with his recent surge. Stacy McCain: A good solid third would be great for Santorum. Second place? Awesome. And we dare not dream of […]

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