Palin Is Most Popular GOP Figure, Romney Comes In Second: Poll

Sarah Palin is the most popular figure in the GOP, according to a Pew Research Center poll released on Wednesday.

The poll surveyed leading GOP politicians' favorability among both Republicans and the general public. Palin took the lead in terms of popularity within the party, with 73% of Republicans giving her a favorable rating.

Among the general public, however, Palin was found to be a particularly polarizing figure. The Alaska governor's rating among all voters was split nearly in half: 45% favorable versus 44% unfavorable.

According to the poll, Mitt Romney is the second-most popular GOP figure. He received a 57% favorability rating among Republicans and among the general public, a 40% rating. Overall, Romney's ratings are an improvement over last year on nearly every front, meaning he's gotten more popular since his presidential bid ended.

The other GOP figures in the survey did not fare as well as Palin and Romney. Newt Gingrich had a 55% favorability rating among Republicans and a 22% unfavorable rating. Michael Steele, meanwhile, had only a 28% favorability rating. A full 58% of Republicans said they do not know enough about the RNC chairman to register an opinion.

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Comments

[barackobama4prez]

What a difference a week makes.

[baseballmom]

I'm not a Romney fan but I kinda feel sorry for him now...

[01202009]

Half of the general public gives her a favorable rating and that is enough to keep me awake nights. Is our population really that stupid?

[FedUp60]

I can't see any leadership qualities in this woman. Our country is neither far right or far left. I cringe every time I hear she wants to be President. She couldn't even handle her job as Governor. Politics are for the thick skinned.

[swanie]

This just shows the SORRY STATE of the "R" party.
.

[IndyMarine]

I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of campaign Obama will be running for re-election. If things are bad or worse, who's he going to blame? Health Care might be his Waterloo.

[PoliticalPsychic]

If Obama gets nothing done in 4 years, he'd only have to remind everyone that the "Do Nothing" Party (and PROUD OF IT) helped keep things from happening.

Of course, it didn't help that weak-kneed Blue-Dog Dems kept going out of their way to seek bi-partisanship with the GOP, instead of walking the line and voting Dem all the way.

The Republican Party's hey-day is gone. The Reagan generation is gone.

The only hope for the right is the Libertarian Party. They're the only party out there that earns my respect. They're thinkers, they're conservative, and shrewd about respecting the Constitution (you know, that piece of paper Bush used as toilet paper? That same document that the GOP refuses to respect will come back to haunt you)

[Billpoch]

With Falin #1 and photo op Romney #2. This is very encouraging to us liberals.

[Doofus]

It could be interesting who the Repo Man is in 2012
depending on whether we have Universal Healthcare,
Gays In the Military, or we're Out of Iraq by then. Or not.

Or, if the economy is still in the dumpers.

The key strategy for Repos will continue to be:
Whatever else happens, a Repo has to be running.

Or not. A Man, that is. Or not, anybody, even.

'No more Repos, jumping on the bed!'

[smiththomas]

The nation missed the boat on Romney. The guy has some economic sense

[theclosetconservative2]

Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin on the same ticket? Yes! That's what we shoud've had last year. By 2012 the buyers' remorse from President Obama will have reached a level of critical mass that will make this a winning ticket. http://theclosetconservative.com

[PoliticalPsychic]

People are hungry for politicians - i.e. LEADERS - who are "in touch" with the public, and not with their 24/7 lobbyists (i.e. special interest groups like Big Pharma, Big Oil, Wall Street con jobs).

Mitt Romney has to scrub his image as a corporate kiss-butt.­...and NOT add Palin to his ticket.

[mychagal]

Great. I can't wait till 2012. What fun!

[roudy]

So now we have the republican'ts and the republicun-ts.

[theclosetconservative2]

Typical vulgar insults from the party of "tolerance­." http://theclosetconservative.com

[Pleneras]

lol

[hauty007]

As a Democrat, why would anyone fear SMOKIN Gov. Palin?

[sippewissett]

It's not the dwindling number of Repugs who count in future elections, it's the general electorate, swelled by defecting rational GOPers who are now Independents, along with Democrats who prevail right now.

The Independen­t-Democrat­ic nexus can be expected to prevail in 2010 and 2012. Consequently it's this sentence that says the most about Palin's chances at the polls: "Among the general public, however, Palin was found to be a particularly polarizing figure."

Ain't no way she's gonna make it to the White House, you betcha.

[sheaintsayin]

i would wonder why she would respond to anything produced by a blogger when she has so publicly denounced the lot as illegitima­te... I am grateful to adult politicians (Obama, Bush, Boehner, who do not respond publicly to every jab and nasty thing that others (Palin, etc.) say about them. After all, 'if you can't stand the heat...", then lay down or stick to doing a bit of pageant walking...