Iowa poll: Huckabee 22, Romney 18, Gingrich 14, Palin 11
posted at 5:01 pm on August 16, 2010 by Allahpundit
I had to post it, just because one of my guilty pleasures in blogging is the entertaining groaning in the comments whenever there’s a poll showing Huck doing well.
Can you feel the momentum?
The poll shows that the 2012 contest is going to begin right where the 2008 Iowa Caucuses left off, with Mike Huckabee leading Mitt Romney. Huckabee comes out on top of the poll garnering 22 percent, Romney finishes second with 18 percent, and Newt Gingrich finishes surprisingly well with 14 percent in third place. Sarah Palin finishes a disappointing fourth with 11 percent. Texas Congressman Ron Paul garnered 5 percent, while Pawlenty, and South Dakota Senator John Thune each received 1 percent…
If there is a surprise in the poll, it’s the strength of Newt Gingrich. Gingrich has been a frequent visitor to Iowa over the past decade. He has headlined events for the Republican Party of Iowa, various political candidates, and held activist workshops across the state. His affection for and understanding of Iowa will definitely be an asset should he seek the Republican nomination…
Sarah Palin became an instant celebrity after being named John McCain’s running mate in 2008. Palin’s brand of common sense conservatism should play well with Iowa caucuses goers, but she has yet to make her presence known in the state. People tend to either love Palin or hate her, so she is sure to garner a lot of attention in Iowa if she does decide to run.
It’s true that she hasn’t spent as much time there as Newt, but she did stop by during her book tour and weighed into the gubernatorial race by endorsing Terry Branstad at the eleventh hour. (In fact, one theory holds that her Branstad endorsement has alienated some of the GOP base in Iowa. He was the RINO in the primary, you may recall, whereas Bob Vander Plaats, who was backed by Huckabee, was the “true conservative.”) No doubt she’ll get a bounce if she swings by the state fair this week or schedules a few speeches there in the fall, but as WaPo says, a poll like this is mainly a test of name recognition — in which case, notwithstanding Huck’s caucus win in 2008, the former VP nominee and current media mega-celebrity should be right near the top. What happened?
The good news for Palinistas is that, per PPP’s latest, she’s right in the thick of it nationally and is viewed more favorably by Republicans than any other candidate. The bad news is that Doug Mataconis is right: Since she’s likely to have trouble in New Hampshire, winning Iowa is practically a must. Otherwise the “Palin is underperforming” narrative will congeal quickly and it’ll be do or die in South Carolina. Then again, like as Mataconis notes, the same is true for Huck too. Exit question: 2012 — best primaries ever?
Blowback
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Why have one thread when you can have two with twice the comments.
Bishop on August 16, 2010 at 5:04 PM
You betcha.
Carnage and Litmus tests. Just what Obama hoped for.
portlandon on August 16, 2010 at 5:04 PM
I’ll say it for the 1000th time. If Palin runs, Huckster has no shot. He was the socially conservative populist candidate in 2008. Since that’s Palin’s shtick, what does that leave Huck with in 2012?
Doughboy on August 16, 2010 at 5:05 PM
Go Mitch Daniels. Can’t stand the Clintonesque Huckster.
bopbottle on August 16, 2010 at 5:05 PM
Mitt Romney’s VP candidate. You know its true.
portlandon on August 16, 2010 at 5:06 PM
Groan….
peski on August 16, 2010 at 5:06 PM
YUCK
gophergirl on August 16, 2010 at 5:07 PM
I don’t think Palin goes anywhere in the primaries, if she runs. She will be a party divider, not necessarily her fault, but that is the way it is.
bopbottle on August 16, 2010 at 5:07 PM
Let’s what the polls numbers are like in 1 year, after the double dip takes hold. The debate then will be much more intense.
Oil Can on August 16, 2010 at 5:07 PM
Iowa poll: Huckabee 22, Romney 18, Gingrich 14, Palin 11, Obama 0.
fogw on August 16, 2010 at 5:08 PM
Huckabee is such a scumbag, do people there not know this?
WisCon on August 16, 2010 at 5:08 PM
FIFY.
HE’S ATTACKING PALIN! AAHHHHHHHHHH!
/sarc
BobMbx on August 16, 2010 at 5:08 PM
All over the map, these polls will be!
~Yoda.
The War Planner on August 16, 2010 at 5:09 PM
Not if we can’t come up with any better candidates than this.
Huck is a big-government social conservative a la Bush.
Romney is a big-government moderate whose track record on health care is abysmal.
Gingrich is a sellout who can’t seem to commit to a fiscally conservative agenda.
Palin says all the right soundbites but she’s having trouble convincing people she’s sincere and not just saying what they want to hear. Her favorables are in the toilet; she’ll need to do a lot of work if she wants to win the general.
Palin’s the best of the bunch, but only because the rest are so terrible. She needs competition, and so do we.
Caiwyn on August 16, 2010 at 5:09 PM
Guess who’s the one with the “Fee-vah”?
fogw on August 16, 2010 at 5:09 PM
I call BS!
This is the media trying to pick our candidate again. Here in California we don’t even have a voice in who the GOP candidate will be.
Ditkaca on August 16, 2010 at 5:10 PM
Sure would be nice if we could dig up Ronnie and have a little “Bernie at the White House” thing.
BobMbx on August 16, 2010 at 5:10 PM
Huckabee?!?….more like SUCKabee!!
I never thought id say this but there is actually someone who would be a worse candidate than McCain…..Mike Huckabee.
He is complete and utter, phony garbage. Huckabee is not a conservative…he uses his religious “cred” as proof he is right wing but its a sham.
I cant even express how sick the idea of a Huckabee nomination makes me. Its the only way Obama could win reelection. Nominate a scumbag, dishonest, RINO, who has the character of an Obama cabinet member.
I just threw up in my mouth a little.
alecj on August 16, 2010 at 5:10 PM
All glory to the Huck-no-toad!
lorien1973 on August 16, 2010 at 5:11 PM
First I’ll get it out of the way for everyone on this thread, Daniels, Ryan, Christie, Jindal, and Thune ARE NOT RUNNING so forget it.
Uh, no. Huck’s shallow support comes from clueless social cons and FOX viewers who like the way he plays bass. Still don’t think he’s running anyway.
The race will be b/w Romney/Newt (establishment) and Palin (non-establishment) w/ T-Paw, Santorum, and Paul thrown in for laughs. I’ve said it for months and still believe it will happen.
davek70 on August 16, 2010 at 5:11 PM
Pffft.
fesofee on August 16, 2010 at 5:12 PM
That reminds me, how’s that RNC plan to adjust the primary schedule coming along?
Dead Hand Control on August 16, 2010 at 5:12 PM
No,no,no,no,no. Sorry to say but that would result in a sure second term for Obama.
sandee on August 16, 2010 at 5:12 PM
Ok, why didn’t anyone poll me? I have been home all week…Huckabee??? Really??? Wait ’till I stop by the RNC office here in Des Moines!
lovingmyUSA on August 16, 2010 at 5:12 PM
No Huckabee.
myrenovations on August 16, 2010 at 5:13 PM
My money is on Obama pulling a Specter and switching parties just before the primaries.
BobMbx on August 16, 2010 at 5:13 PM
I don’t thing Huckabee will run. He’s not what Republicans are looking for this time out and he knows that.
JonPrichard on August 16, 2010 at 5:14 PM
Heh.
How is it that I haven’t met ONE Huckabee supporter in real life ever?
Abby Adams on August 16, 2010 at 5:14 PM
No Newt either. Remember that couch with Nancy Pelosi. Newt is just a political opportunist.
sandee on August 16, 2010 at 5:15 PM
I am really getting tired of these primaries where we have a dozen people on the ballot and the “winner” is favored by 1 in 5 republicans. That is precisely what got us McCain – I don’t recall him getting a majority anywhere, but he “won” primaries on split votes.
Can’t we at least require proportional delegate assignments so that minority candidates don’t sneak through?
materialist on August 16, 2010 at 5:15 PM
I don’t think it is BS. I think the people of Iowa are crazy for big government scumbags like Huckabee.
myrenovations on August 16, 2010 at 5:15 PM
I’d happily take Huckabee over Obama… then again, I’d take just about any random citizen in the phone book over Obama, so maybe that’s not saying much
gatorboy on August 16, 2010 at 5:17 PM
Iowa sure does know how to pick ‘em, don’t they?
Blarg the Destroyer on August 16, 2010 at 5:17 PM
CORN.
portlandon on August 16, 2010 at 5:17 PM
I think the Iowans are not making ethanol out of that corn but making moonshine and drinking entirely too much.
sandee on August 16, 2010 at 5:17 PM
Well, look at it this way, they shove Huckaphoney down our throats we’ll have four more years of BO to smell.
We do NOT need another RINO. That’s why Newt, Huckie and others like them need to stay the hell out of the race. And I hate to say it, but Sarah is scarin the hell out of me as well. All these RINOs she’s been supportin’ are starting to make me think she’s not got it all together yet. I do think she’d be fantastic with more experience, but right now I think she’s not quite ready. I love her bunches though. And would LOVE to see the look on the libby faces if we elected the first woman president, not them… *sigh* Wouldn’t that be fun???
Mad Mad Monica on August 16, 2010 at 5:17 PM
Huckabee will just run to be able to be a blocker for the candidate he likes. Worked for him last time.
PrezHussein on August 16, 2010 at 5:17 PM
ESPECIALLY if that first woman was her… whew.. what a day that would be.. *snicker*
Mad Mad Monica on August 16, 2010 at 5:18 PM
FIFY… LOL
davek70 on August 16, 2010 at 5:18 PM
To what? The Liberations Party of the Ground Zero Dialog?
upinak on August 16, 2010 at 5:19 PM
What can you say Port? Iowa.. Children of the Corn. Beltway GOP Zombie agricultural wing nuts. Run… Run…. Yawn.
upinak on August 16, 2010 at 5:21 PM
It’s embarassing to be in the same party as the moronic 22% who support Huckabee.
Looking on the bright side, if Huck is the nominee, we won’t be in the same party because because I will have gone elsewhere.
cool breeze on August 16, 2010 at 5:23 PM
Wellllll, there’s always this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BxJBUswOcQ
tencole on August 16, 2010 at 5:23 PM
Brian1972 on August 16, 2010 at 5:23 PM
Why don’t we see who’s actually running first? Then these polls will be more worthwhile.
ddrintn on August 16, 2010 at 5:25 PM
Allah true to form omits news on Palin leading the opposition at ground zero, the resignation of two NH dems for their death wish on Palin and posts a negative post about Palin as soon as it comes up.
unseen on August 16, 2010 at 5:26 PM
Idiots
Out
Walking
Around
(j/k)
carbon_footprint on August 16, 2010 at 5:26 PM
Name something as indigestible as Huckabee as the republican nominee in 2012?
lorien1973 on August 16, 2010 at 5:27 PM
Hey now, that sounds a little bit racist to me
/pc police
TheVer on August 16, 2010 at 5:27 PM
Why don’t we see who’s actually running first? Then these polls will be more worthwhile.
Yeah, but it wouldn’t be as much fun…..
sandee on August 16, 2010 at 5:28 PM
Obama… with an R next to his name.
upinak on August 16, 2010 at 5:28 PM
Since that’s Palin’s shtick, what does that leave Huck with in 2012?
Doughboy on August 16, 2010 at 5:05 PM
Not sure of your POV. Palin from all appearances and recent interviews is going more Reagan then Tom delayish.
She is not abandoning social conservatives but she is distancing herself form being a dye in the wool socicon.
unseen on August 16, 2010 at 5:28 PM
More proof Iowa is irrelevant. Full of morons.
BTW, Palin will be on Greta for the next three nights talking ENERGY INDEPENDENCE. They’re going to the Arctic Circle and ANWR.
The rest of the bunch is up in Iowa pandering to a bunch of losers.
gary4205 on August 16, 2010 at 5:28 PM
Palin/Chrisie 2012!
She’s got another book coming out plus the TV show(s). Those other guys won’t know what hit ‘em.
JimK on August 16, 2010 at 5:28 PM
Wow! Coming in first in Iowa sure helped Huckabee get the nomination in 2008!
ConservativePartyNow on August 16, 2010 at 5:29 PM
Huckabee: the new McCain. Another candidate that nobody voted for that somehow winds up being the Republican candidate because… why? Iowa? Do they even know what they stand for in Iowa anymore? Every election year I see an endless parade of Iowan’s tooling around like they were God’s gift to the electoral process. In truth, they show remarkably little sense for farm-belters. At least they didn’t elect Al Franken.
Immolate on August 16, 2010 at 5:30 PM
I hope Greta drinks lots of water AND takes a couple advil. Going to the slope screws people up. And it is flatter then a pancake.
upinak on August 16, 2010 at 5:30 PM
Can anyone tell me why?
Uhm…this, from the Mataconis article doesn’t mesh with me…
Because Kelly Ayotte is doing so well, and NH can only stomach one strong conservative woman?
SouthernGent on August 16, 2010 at 5:33 PM
Palin/West 2012…..THAT’S better :)
tencole on August 16, 2010 at 5:33 PM
Huckster and Mittens on the same ticket? Sign me up but only if it ends in a duel before the primaries.
Hatfield/McCoy 2012
Terrie on August 16, 2010 at 5:33 PM
Huck is Mike Bloomberg in disguise.
Jim-Rose on August 16, 2010 at 5:36 PM
Perfect scenario for a NON JEB Bush to split the Conservatives, and get the DOTUS re-elected in 2012………clearing the path for Jeb in 2016!!
The Karl Rove shadow GOP at work again.
PappyD61 on August 16, 2010 at 5:37 PM
LOL. Children of the Corn. That remake was terrible.
portlandon on August 16, 2010 at 5:37 PM
Oh yeah!
terryannonline on August 16, 2010 at 5:38 PM
This.
Emily M. on August 16, 2010 at 5:39 PM
Huck is the same crap the Republicans have been dealing us since Reagan.
Enough of the social RINO’s who pander o religious groups.
Give me a competent manager who understands America and it’s economy.
rickyricardo on August 16, 2010 at 5:39 PM
With this polling Ruling Class s/b happy.
But it means nuttin this far out.
NOVEMBER!!!!!
PappyD61 on August 16, 2010 at 5:39 PM
NO, NO, Mr. Bill- Bill pulls head off little me doll!!!!
BWAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
huskerdiva on August 16, 2010 at 5:40 PM
Palin/West 2012…..THAT’S better :)
tencole on August 16, 2010 at 5:33 PM
Palin/Petraeus 2012 so much better. Fills in all the wholes in Palin’s resume and settles the nervous nitties. the only better outcome is if Bloomberg decides to get into the race as a 3rd party and becomes the John anderson of 2012.
unseen on August 16, 2010 at 5:41 PM
I think once she hits the ground in Iowa things will change a lot. From what I understand, Iowans expect a candidate to come to them and shower them with time and attention.
They resent not being catered to in that way, so that could explain this result. If she runs, this is out the window when she gets there and starts the retail politicking, which she is better at than anyone else out there.
There is another book tour coming up, so that would provide an opportunity to run through Iowa without being officially declared yet, but still set up a few events to test the turnout and reaction.
This talk about skipping Iowa is nonsense. Judging by her reaction to Team McCain conceding Michigan in 2008, she will fight for all the votes she can get in every state.
I don’t see that happening. I don’t think she will concede New Hampshire either. She will make Romney beat her fair and square, not hand it to him by default. That just doesn’t seem to be her nature to me.
Brian1972 on August 16, 2010 at 5:43 PM
It’s insane that Iowa–a caucus state, yet–has so much influence in the primaries. No offense to its citizens, but in no way is the state representative of the country at large. The whole primary system needs to be streamlined.
Huckabee may win in Iowa, but he can’t win nationally. Neither can Palin. Unless the Republicans can persuade a serious person with across-the-board appeal to run (like a Christie, Ryan or Daniels), Obama waltzes to a second term.
Both the far left and the far right worship their ideological crazies, but the country is in no mood to have the pendulum swing from one extreme to the other.
Meredith on August 16, 2010 at 5:44 PM
……………. Fine, if it`ll make everyone happy, I`ll run in 2012!
ThePrez on August 16, 2010 at 5:44 PM
But instead of lining up with President Barack Obama, who expressed support for the Muslim community’s right to build the mosque, Reid is more in tune with Sarah Palin and his Republican opponent, Sharron Angle, on this one.
WSJ
unseen on August 16, 2010 at 5:44 PM
Quoting yourself is kind of cheezy, but Allah made me do it.
trigon on August 16, 2010 at 5:44 PM
By the way I truly doubt Huckabee will win Iowa.
terryannonline on August 16, 2010 at 5:45 PM
No thanks on Huck.. What a shame it would be to have to vote for him or Mitt in a general… my opinion of course.
shar61 on August 16, 2010 at 5:46 PM
As we’ve seen, Palin is not a conventional politician. No one can guess her next move and I bet that drives the media as well as the GOP contenders nuts.
darwin on August 16, 2010 at 5:46 PM
While he is a genuine American Hero, I will not support Petraeus until I hear more from him on political positions not related to the military.
I have to keep reminding people, his profession since we have known of him demands a non-political approach.
I have no idea if the man is even a conservative at all.
It would be nice to know that before we place him on the ticket in 2012.
Brian1972 on August 16, 2010 at 5:46 PM
I hear Sarah Palin absolutely loves cats …
darwin on August 16, 2010 at 5:48 PM
Who won Iowa last time around? I can`t recall.
ThePrez on August 16, 2010 at 5:48 PM
True enough. For all we know he could be a big ol’ liberal. We don’t know either way.
terryannonline on August 16, 2010 at 5:48 PM
until I see huck lose weight instead of packing on the pounds i’ll say huck is not running.
unseen on August 16, 2010 at 5:49 PM
You forgot the rigid ideological moderates who militantly despise everything not in the middle.
We can do without those reactionary types.
Brian1972 on August 16, 2010 at 5:49 PM
Its so flat there that, one day, I stared out to the west for so long I saw the back of my own head…..
BobMbx on August 16, 2010 at 5:50 PM
That reminds me of all the Republicans who wanted another Army General to run for President.
Colin Powell, who endorsed Obama. No thanks.
Brian1972 on August 16, 2010 at 5:51 PM
It would be nice to know that before we place him on the ticket in 2012.
Brian1972 on August 16, 2010 at 5:46 PM
fair enough. i’m in the same camp as far as christie. All we know of him is he is a fiscal con. i know nothing about his national defense policy, immigration policy, or social views.
unseen on August 16, 2010 at 5:51 PM
If you think Sarah Palin is an extremist then you are part of the problem. Being in the middle is just a cheap way to avoid making any decisions.
The Democratic party isn’t democratic, it’s socialist and most of us have no interest in meeting them halfway!
sharrukin on August 16, 2010 at 5:51 PM
Of course you want the pendulum to stop in the middle, with no movement forward or backward.
portlandon on August 16, 2010 at 5:54 PM
Regarding Petraeus…
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/09/08/080908fa_fact_coll
Petraeus is registered to vote as a Republican in New Hampshire—he once described himself to a friend as a northeastern Republican, in the tradition of Nelson Rockefeller…
sharrukin on August 16, 2010 at 5:56 PM
I’m all for filling Palin’s holes, and if he’s a good Republican the general might be great. But we don’t know if he’s even a bad one yet.
exception on August 16, 2010 at 5:56 PM
FYI–Most of the REAL Iowans are at the Iowa State Fair – so not gettin’ my panties in a knot over this poll…..
huskerdiva on August 16, 2010 at 5:56 PM
I want to say McCain won Iowa in `08. So perhaps her endorsement of him in his senate campaign will be returned by him stumping her her in Iowa.
ThePrez on August 16, 2010 at 5:58 PM
One big difference is that Powell was widely known as a dork long before that.
exception on August 16, 2010 at 5:58 PM
What I want to know is, where do the American Pickers come down on all this?
ThePrez on August 16, 2010 at 5:59 PM
I’d love to know exactly who on the right you consider “extreme”. Please add the issues these people support that are considered “extreme”.
darwin on August 16, 2010 at 6:00 PM
Newt is quietly getting in the picture..
Dire Straits on August 16, 2010 at 6:02 PM
I’d take a Palin/Palin ticket if Huckabee would just go away.
ORconservative on August 16, 2010 at 6:07 PM
I meant in 2000, there were some Republicans pushing for Powell to run in the primaries, but he said something about his wife didn’t want him to be first black candidate for President because he would probably be assassinated.
Revealing statement there, I think.
He turned out to be pro-choice, pro-gun control, pro-affirmative action, and even fell for the global warming/climate change scam.
Brian1972 on August 16, 2010 at 6:08 PM
I seriously hope it doesn’t come down to choosing from this bunch. Ugh.
scalleywag on August 16, 2010 at 6:09 PM
I don’t think ideology is a bad word. Everyone has an ideology of some kind, even the moderates.
Being militantly anti-ideological is really itself an ideology of it’s own. Just look at that extremist of the middle, Mort Kondrake.
Brian1972 on August 16, 2010 at 6:12 PM
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