Republicans Look Strong Versus Obama With Likely Voters
Herman Cain may have won the Florida straw poll last weekend, but consistent polling shows that the eventual Republican nominee has a good chance of unseating the incumbent president—no matter whom he or she might be.
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| What does Herman Cain's straw poll victory signal for the GOP? PHOTO: GAGE SKIDMORE |
Cain’s unexpected and improbable victory in Florida immediately raised questions about the GOP nomination, especially concerning the standing of the party’s frontrunners, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
However, the latest Rasmussen poll, a survey of 3,500 likely voters conducted a week before the debate in Florida, found that a generic Republican candidate holds a five-point advantage over President Obama – 47% to 42% --in a hypothetical 2012 election match-up. It is the 11th week in a row that a generic Republican nominee has led the incumbent president.
If the election were held today, a president’s approval rating is a good indicator of how much support he would receive. And any incumbent earning under 50% of the vote is considered politically vulnerable.
That bodes well for the GOP, but for which candidate in particular? Romney continues to be the Republican hopeful who runs most competitively with the president in the polls. According to Rasmussen, in a hypothetical election match-up, Romney leads with 44% of the vote to Obama’s 41%. Governor Perry follows close behind with 39%, while Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann trails the president by double digits.
-Ramona Flume
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