The Economy is Worse than You Think

An article in the Wall Street Journal by Martin Feldstein starts out:

"The policies of the Obama administration have led to the weak condition of the American economy. Growth during the coming year will be subpar at best, leaving high or rising levels of unemployment and underemployment."

Which candidate, Republican or otherwise, has the most experience in business, particularly turning things around?

The answer to that should be obvious.

Romney campaign slogan suggestions

Romney. Change...but, for the better

Romney:  the economy isn't above his pay grade

Romney Ties or Bests Obama in Latest Poll

Romney faired the best of any potential GOP candidate in a new poll from ABC News/Washington Post tying Obama 47-47 among adults. Obviously some of the other candidates suffer from a lack of name recognition, though no other candidate was within 10 points of Obama.

When looking at registered voters, Romney bests Obama:

Romney:  49, Obama:  46.

No other potential GOP candidate comes close. Some other interesting insights:

"OBAMA/ROMNEY – With Romney matched against Obama, most Republicans and

conservative groups rally. Romney hauls in 87 percent of Republicans, 71 percent of

conservatives and evangelical white Protestants alike, and two-thirds of “very conservative”

Americans. No candidate does better against Obama among any of these groups.

Romney gains 72 percent support from the 46 percent of Americans who describe themselves as

supporters of the Tea Party political movement. But, showing breadth, he also draws in 48

percent of independents, the key swing voters.

Romney currently fares better against Obama than John McCain did in 2008 among several

important groups, and some surprising ones. Romney and Obama run evenly among women, a

group Obama won by 13 points in 2008; among white women, while McCain won by 7 points,

Romney leads by 18. McCain won white Catholics, an important swing-voting group, by 5

points, while Romney leads here by 19.

Romney runs about evenly with Obama in the Midwest, a region Obama won by 10 points in

2008. While 18-29 year olds still overwhelmingly favor Obama regardless of the Republican

candidate, his margin against Romney is 23 points, vs. 34 points against McCain. Even among

liberals, Obama’s edge is down – 79 points vs. McCain, 61 vs. Romney."

Surely a Mormon can be President

So argues Jordan Sekulow, Director of Policy and International Operations at the American Center for Law & Justice, on the Washington Post's blog "On Faith."

Two quotes:

Do you think we should ever see headlines in a mainstream news outlet that read, "The Jewish primary" or "The black primary?" Politico recently ran a story titled "The Mormon primary" and no one seemed to balk. Former governors Mitt Romney and Jon Hunstman have long careers in public service and business. However, it seems like some outlets spend way too much time focused on Mormonism and not enough time discussing how these potential candidates would govern the country.

If a Mormon can be the governor of Massachusetts - neither a Mormon nor conservative stronghold - and a Mormon can be majority leader of the US Senate, surely a Mormon can be president.

Mitt only Republican to Beat Obama in New Poll

Rassmussen has a new poll out showing Romney as the only GOP candidate who would topple Obama:

a. Mitt Romney 44% Barack Obama 42%

b. Mike Huckabee 43% Barack Obama 43%

c. Barack Obama 47% Newt Gingrich 39%

d. Barack Obama 49% Sarah Palin 38%.

e. Barack Obama 44% Ron Paul 35%.

Also, Romney is the current favorite to win the nomination:

1. Mitt Romney 24%

2. Sarah Palin 19%

3. Mike Huckabee 17%

4. Newt Gingrich 11%

5. Tim Pawlenty 6%

6. Ron Paul 4%

7. Mitch Daniels 3%

Hat Tip:  EFM

No "Mormon Problem" in South Carolina

This new poll shows Mitt Romney as the candidate who would do best against Obama in South Carolina--yes, that's right--the same Bible-Belt state that everyone has thought would give Romney problems because of his religious faith.
Romney---49%
Obama--42%

Huckabee--49%
Obama--43%

DeMint--47%
Obama--43%

Obama--44%
Gingrich--43%

Obama--47%
Palin--41%

HT:  Campaign Spot

NH Straw Poll Points to Romney

Romney won a recent straw poll of New Hampshire GOP committee members, according to ABC:

In the first ever "straw poll" of New Hampshire Republican party committee members sponsored by ABC News and WMUR and sanctioned by the state Republican party, ex-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney took 35 percent of the 276 valid ballots cast. This is just 3 percent more than Romney took in the 2008 GOP primary, when he finished in second place behind Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Coming in a distant second was Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, with 11 percent. Paul took 8 percent in the 2008 GOP primary.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who is spending the early part of next week in the Granite State, came in third with 8 percent.

In fourth place was ex-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has yet to visit the first-in-the-nation-primary state, with 7 percent.

This is by no means a scientific sample, but it was a good early canvass of the sentiments of the state's most active Republican voters.

The "straw poll" was open only to the 426 registered members of the Republican committee, and 65 percent of those commitee members participated.

(Hat tip:  EFM)