GOP Power Outsiders Souring On Perry, Warming To Romney

WASHINGTON -- Politically engaged Republican activists have decisively soured on Rick Perry and warmed to Mitt Romney over the last few weeks, according to the latest HuffPost-Patch Power Outsiders survey in the early primary and caucus states. Romney has also gained a clear advantage over Perry on the critical question of electability.

We asked 160 Republican political activists, party officials and officeholders in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina how their opinions of presidential candidates Romney and Perry have changed over the last two to three weeks.

The results tell an unequivocal story: A majority (57 percent) say their impression of Perry has grown less favorable, while just 16 percent say it has become more favorable. The results are nearly reversed for Perry's rival. A majority (47 percent) say their impression of Romney has become more favorable, while only 13 percent say they think less of him.

In our survey four weeks ago, Perry had registered a strong impression. A majority (58 percent) used positive terms to describe the Texas governor, and better than three out of four rated him presidential (77 percent) and capable of beating Barack Obama (76 percent).

The next week, our survey found slightly better marks for Romney. He had modest advantages in having the makings of a good president and being electable, although Perry and Romney were nearly even in the percentage of Power Outsiders who felt strongly about their respective ability to beat Obama in 2012.

The questions on the most recent survey are not strictly comparable because they ask for direct comparisons of Romney and Perry, but the results are vastly different. When pressed to choose, the Power Outsiders give Romney a huge advantage over Perry on both electability and presidential stature. He leads by much better than 2-to-1 (63 to 24 percent) on ability to defeat Obama in the general election and by a slightly smaller margin (56 to 30 percent) as the candidate who would make the best president.

The Power Outsiders polls do not survey a cross-section of all Republican voters, but rather attempt to monitor the "invisible primary" now very much under way among influential Republican activists and political insiders nationwide (they are "outsiders" from the perspective of Washington, D.C., but are insiders within their local communities). This week, we heard from 44 Power Outsiders in Iowa, 50 in New Hampshire and 65 in South Carolina.

In their book, "The Party Decides," political scientists Marty Cohen, David Karol, Hans Noel and John Zaller argue that "party leaders, aligned groups, and activists" have been a "systematic force in presidential nominations." In particular, they find these influential party actors are "a major reason that all nominees since the 1970s have been credible and at least reasonably electable representatives of their partisan traditions."

That's why Romney's emerging advantage as an electable general election candidate poses a mortal threat to the Perry campaign. If it persists, Perry will have trouble raising money, gaining further endorsements and, ultimately, winning over rank-and-file Republicans who participate in caucuses and vote in primaries.

READ previous results from Power Outsiders polls:

The HuffPost-Patch Power Outsiders

Our surveys are not a scientific random sample of any larger population but rather an effort to listen to a swath of influential, local Republican activists, party leaders and elected officials in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. All of the individuals listed below have agreed to participate in the Power Outsiders surveys, although not all responded to this week's questions. This week's interviews were conducted between Sept. 23 and Sept. 27, 2011. [Interview dates corrected].

Iowa

Robert Brownell (Polk County supervisor), Irene Chalmers-Neubauer (Republican precinct captain), Mike St. Clair (Lobbyist), Arleigh Clemens (Co-Chair Johnson County Republicans), Jeremy Davis (Councilman), Tyler DeHaan (IT Services), Debra Derksen (PR person for Johnson County GOP), Mike Elam (Organizer, Dallas County GOP), Paul Fell (Santorum supporter), Amanda Freel (State House Repub Staff), Steve Gaer (West Des Moines mayor), Natalie Ginty (Chairwoman, Iowa Federation of College Republicans), Rick Hermann (Sales Manager, WeatherTech Automotive), Libby Jacobs (former state representative), William Keettel (Former head, Johnson County Republicans), Kevin Koester (Congressman), Mary Kramer (former state senator), Marilyn Krocheski, Jon McAvoy (Head of Dallas County Republicans), Isaiah McGee (Owner, McGee strategies), Chris McLinden (Axis Human Capital, Businessman), Cynthia Michel (Precinct Captain), Mike Nolan (Republican Party noteable), Jim Sandager (West Des Moines city councilman), Rick Sanders (Republican Supervisor), Charles Schneider (West Des Moines city councilman), Chad Steenhoek (Member, Strong America Now), Wade Steenhoek (Ankeny City Council), Ronald Stenstrom (Romney Supporter), Karen Svede (Former statewide candidate), Rob Taylor (Running for Iowa House Seat), Deb Thornton (Worked in Republican administrations), Robert Wennerholm (Precinct Captain), Eric Woolson (Republican strategist), Randy Yontz (Director Leadership Institute)

New Hampshire

Eric Anderson (Former State Rep/Chair Bow Board of Selectmen), Gary Azarian (State Rep.), David Bates (Rep- Windham), Kathy Benuck (BCTV Host/Blogger), D.J. Bettencourt (State Rep., Maj. Leader), Diane Bitter (Rye Republican activist), Travis Blais (Windham GOP Chair), Bill Boyd (Town Councilor), Bruce Breton (Selectman), Russell Bridle (Former Hampton Fire Department captain/State Rep.), Ed Brooks (Former ME selectman, town councilor), Chris Buck (Republican activist), Chris Buda (Merrimack GOP Chair), Jamie Burnett (Consultant), John Cebrowski (State Rep. - Bedford), Chris Christiansen (State Rep), Mark Cookson (Alderman-at-large), Tim Copeland (State rep.), Jim Costello (American Government teacher), Juanita Dangel (Secretary Hillsborough County GOP), Gary Daniels (State Rep), Ed Declercq (Planning Board), Jerry Delemus (Republican activist), Shari Demers (Activist), Julie DiCarlo (Small business owner), Ron DiCarlo (Small business owner), Bob Duffy (Nashua GOP City Committee), Bob Elliott (State Rep.), Gary Ellmer (Chairman, Porsmouth Republican Committee), Frank Ferraro (Exeter Selectman), Laura Foote (Activist), Mauri Foster (Retired), Sheila Francoeur (Seacoast Republican Women member), Michael Gallagher (Nashua Republican City Committee, running for Alderman), Bianca Garcia (Former Salem GOP Victory Office mgr), David Garcia (Salem Town GOP Chair), John Graham (State Rep. - Bedford), Brian Griset (Member of local political committee), Lisa Hansen (Romney supporter), Peter Hansen (State Rep), Pat Hargreaves (Selectman), Jeff Hatch (Salem Romney Town Chair), Ken Hawkins (State Rep - Bedford), Dan St. Hilaire (Executive councilor), Dick Hinch (Current State Rep), Jennifer Horn (Republican activist), David Hurst (New Hampshire Young Republicans chairman), Zac Johnson (Technical writer), Ken Jones (Member of Amherst Republicans), Gary Krupp (Member of the School Budget Committee), Michael Lambert (Resident), Steve Landry (Small business owner), Tom Linehan (GOP Activist), Eduardo Lopez-Reyes (Software engineer), Marie Lopez-Reyes (Sales), Di Lothrop (Nashua GOP City Committee), Stephen E. Ludwick (Chairman, Supervisors of the Checklist, Ward 9), Jim Luther (State Senator), John Lyons (Lawyer), Kris MacNeil (Former State Senate candidate), Joel Maiola (Former Judd Gregg Chief of Staff), Andrew Manuse (State Rep - Derry), George Markwell (School Board Member), Harry McClard (Freelance writer), Patrick McDougall (Budget Committee), Charles McMahon (Rep- Windham), Bill Modis (Vice Chair of Amherst Republicans), Maureen Mooney (Past State Rep), Keith Murphy (State Rep - Bedford), Tasha Olsen (Republican activist), Rick Paige (Loan officer), Michele Peckham (State Rep. (N. Hampton)), Amy Perkins (State Rep. (Seabrook)), Lawrence Perkins (State Rep. (Seabrook)), Kathryn Peterson (community activist), Lenette Peterson (State Rep), Pam Price (former state rep), Lee Quandt (State rep.), Matt Quandt (Exeter Selectman/State Rep.), Tom Rath (Consultant), Fred Rice (State Rep. (Hampton)), Jim Rubens (Former Republican State Sen.), Pete Silva (Rep - Nashua), William Smith (Conservative Blogger), Brandon Stauber (Small business owner/recent Exeter transplant), Kathy Stroud (State Rep), Chris Tremblay (Activist), Pam Tucker (Deputy House Speaker), Mark Vincent (Chair of Amherst Republicans), Jim Waddell (State Rep. (Hampton)), Tom Walker (Conservative Republican), Robert Washburn (Former City Councilor), Kevin Waterhouse (Rep- Windham), Raymond White (State Sen. - Bedford), Alan Williams (North Hampton resident, former Exeter selectman), J. Christopher Williams (Pres. Nashua CC), Tony Zore (Tea Party member)

South Carolina

Aubry Alexander (Charleston City Council - District 9), Thomas Alexander (State Senator), Dean Allen (Tea Party Activist), Charm Altman (President Sea Island Republican Women), Patrick L. Arnold (Campaign and fundraising consultant), Todd Atwater (S.C. Rep. Dist. 87), Rep. Nathan Ballentine (SC House Dist. 71), Bob Barnwell (Richland Co. GOP Spring Valley), Joseph Bates, Jr. (Committeeman/ Richland Co. GOP Dutch Fork), Eric Bedingfield (State Rep/Congressional Staffer), Lin Bennett (Chair, Charleston County GOP), Rich Bolen (Chair, Lexington County GOP), Andrew Boucher (Business consultant and political advisor), Phillip Bowers (Chairman, Pickens County Republican Party), Dan Bracken (President/ The Auction Co. & Real Estate Inc.), Edward Britt (Engineer), Joe Bustos (Former town councilman), Jay Byars (Dorchester County councilman), Bob Call (Berkeley County Councilman), Tim Callanan (Berkeley County GOP Chairman), Mike Campbell (Son of former Gov. Carroll Campbell; co-chairman of Huntsman's S.C. effort), Ed Carter (Small business owner), M. Todd Cullum (Lexington County Council member), Rep. Joe Daning (Statehouse rep.), Smokey Davis (Lexington County Council member), Carroll S. Duncan (Dorchester GOP Chair), Dana Eiser (Lowcountry 9.12 president), Linda Eiser (9/12 conservative), Linda Estep (wife of Pastor at First Baptist Church of Columbia), Scott Farmer (Richland County GOP Committeeman), Chip Felkel (Political Consultant), Will Folks (Editor, fitsnews.com; spokesman for former Gov. Mark Sanford), Leland Glen (Author), Chris Godbey (Political Consultant), Susan Grady (Republican activist), Randy Halfacre (Mayor of Lexington), Dan Hamilton (State Representative), Carla Hardee (President, Dutch Fork Chapter of the S.C. Federation of Republican Women), Larry Hargett (Dorchester County Council chairman), Val Hutchinson (Richland County Council), Johnny Jeffcoat (Town of Lexington Economic and Community Catalyst; Lexington County Council member), Jim Jerow (Georgetown GOP Chair), Debbie Jones (9.12 Board Member), Joanne Jones (Republican activist), Grayson Kelly (Fundraiser), James Kinard (Banker, Chair, Lexington County Council), Todd Kincannon (Lawyer/former executive director of SC Republican Party), Bob Kouvolo (President/ MaxPt), Mickey Lindler (Chairwoman for Republicans of Lexington and Richland Counties), Chris Mann (City Councilman), Karen Martin (Organizer/Spartanburg Tea Party), Larry Martin (State Senator), Taft Matney (Conservative Political Consultant), James Metts (Lexington County Sheriff), Matt Moore (Executive Director for SC GOP), Susan Morris (Nonprofit executive director), Mike Murphee (Charleston Tea Party chairman), Brent Nelsen (Professor of Political Science/former candidate for Supt. of Education), Don Nye (Bank employee), Allen Olson (Chairman / Columbia TEA Party), Randy Page (President,South Carolinians for Responsible Government), Gregory Pearce (Richland Co. Councilman), Kathy Perry (Charleston County Republican Women), Adam Piper (SC GOP 3rd Vice Chairman & political director for Huntsman campaign), Zach Pippin (GOP Media Consultant), Tony Pope (Insurance agent), Barbara Pulicicchio (Political activist), Rick Quinn (S.C. Rep. Dist. 69), Dennis Raines (Mayoral Candidate), Jeff Reuer (Vice Chair Goose Creek 9-12), DeLinda Ridings (SC GOP State Secretary / Huntsman campaign), Robby Robbins (Lawyer), Emily Rudolph (Sea Island Republican Women), LaDonna Ryggs (Spartanburg GOP Chair), Michael Sally (Hanahan City Councilman), Dennis Saylor (Chair, Aiken GOP), Bill Severns (Rep. for Beaufort Republican Men), Katrina Shealy (Candidate for SC Senate from Lexington), Lanneau Siegling (State Executive Committeeman), Billy Simons (Conservative activist), Garry Smith (State Rep), Bill Banning, Sr. (Vice-chair, Lexington County Council), John Steinberger (Fair Tax activist), Mary Ann Taylor (Charleston County Republican Women/Charleston County School Board), MacLain R. Mac Toole (S.C. Rep., Dist. 88), Frank Townsend (Lexington County Council member), September Wellborn (State GOP Delegate), Knox White (Mayor of Greenville), Jennifer Willis (County Councilwoman/ V.P. One Tree Hill), Henry Wilson (2011 delegate, S.C. Republican Convention), James David Woodard (Professor of Political Science, Clemson University), Cheryl Woods-Flowers (Former mayor, Republican official)

HuffPost's Prediction Games HuffPost's Predict The News!

Who will win the Republican nomination?

• Michele Bachmann

• Herman Cain

• Newt Gingrich

• Jon Huntsman

• Ron Paul

• Rick Perry

• Mitt Romney

• Rick Santorum

• Other

Predict it!

Top Players

Beat your friends!

Connect through Facebook or Twitter and challenge your friends

Connect with Twitter Connect with Facebook

My friends

Comments

[alexunlv]

12:05 PM on 10/08/2011

Did everyone see the "Predict who will be the Republican Nominee?"

I honestly could not select anyone - really. The only thing that came to mind was Romney. But lets be honest - once Christians are told about the "golden bars found by Joseph Smith and his story about Native Americans being the chosen people not the Jews" - there is just no way this guy could win.

This group is without any doubt a list of asinine people! Just a joke of a list. No one serious. Like it is some kind of a joke.

[The Fat Lazy American]

07:41 AM on 10/06/2011

Aaaaanddd, heeereeee they come around the corner, there's Bachman two lengths ahead with Romney gaining and there he passes her , Perry is on the inside and here comes Cain picking up ground on the outside, Christie is gaining ground but falls behins, Newty and Palin are way behind but holding on,,,,,comming around the bend it is Cain, and Perry and here comes romney on the inside making up ground......

[R Davis]

01:30 PM on 09/30/2011

This is what the Republicans are responsible for.

http://wearethe99percent.tumblr.com/

[tbassar1]

05:52 AM on 09/30/2011

Mitt "Corporations are people, too" Romney needs someone as ridiculous as Rick Perry to make him look good.

[Armand77789]

09:34 PM on 09/29/2011

Strage Political Stage for people put up to win and if republicans win and things go wrong as before
guess who they will blame that on. You got it Obama and if they win for eight more years and things are still going wrong. Who do you think they will bame that on. Oh yes Obama come on these peoples of the United States of America better wake up. The Rich or weather not adding jobs, really know how to pad the books like a new new car every year unlimited expence account.
The 1920's they loved money so much when the stock market crashed they jump out of windows
to their death.

[straight skinny]

04:18 PM on 09/29/2011

All Eyewash! Rick Perry will be our next US President-by a Landslide!!

[jamesnpost]

02:53 PM on 09/29/2011

The GOP's problem is so clear: since Nov 2008 they have been running a destructive negative and obstructionist campaign to destroy the American economy so as to blame it on Obama. They have been running only AGAINST OBAMA. They have no one who is or is capable of running FOR THE OFFICE. "Just say NO to Obama" is ALL THE GOP HAS. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX0bs_JMons

[ricnaustin]

04:38 PM on 10/04/2011

You took the words right out of my mouth..... Interesting how poll after poll shows how Repugnicants are still looking for another candidate b/c they're just not happy any of the 9 candidates they have now; i.e., none can beat Obama knowing what a mess he inherited and knowing another Repugnicant won't fix it. Their talking points are lame/general at best. And their's no confidence in this Repub controlled Congress....

[uncutroseoftx]

02:45 PM on 09/29/2011

Interesting how oil companies are contributing to elect Rick Perry. He’s pulled more backroom deals then obama . Gunn Oil Co. of Wichta Falls,Tx is one company to benefit from Rick Perry’s push of legislation for ‘Rule 37” . This Rule gives Gunn Oil the right to steal oil from under peoples land, without a signed lease and they don’t have to pay one cent to the landowners.It's clear big oil payed off Perry to pass such a law.

[touchedbyflames]

01:32 PM on 09/29/2011

When are we going to have a candidate that has not lost touch with reality, that does not pander to the rich and lobbyists, will focus on the economy and jobs rather than social issues, actually keep their promise once they are elected, ....... Time for a complete replacement of both houses.

[saspin13]

11:09 AM on 09/29/2011

The obvious question...Where's Ron Paul in all this small talk? It is so pathetic how the mainstream media tries to ignore him. He is the only candidate who has any sensical solutions based strictly in The Constitution. Do these people really think the American people are so stupid that we can not see right through them?

[mug555]

08:53 AM on 09/29/2011

Rick hears voices in his head and thinks it is God speaking to him; Mitt listens to the voices of the the Koch brothers who think they are gods.

[Gary Strawley]

07:03 AM on 09/29/2011

What has a republican done for YOU, if you are not rich? What do you think a republican will
do for U? They have been sold to the corporations, It's the rich against the middle and poor classes!!! Take a peek at the thurth from time to time!!!! HELP!!!

[bunnieman]

07:20 AM on 09/29/2011

Many "middle and poor class" people care little whether they have been sold to corporations, as long as politicians who love Jesus tell them that they can keep their guns.

[philliplojek]

11:15 AM on 09/29/2011

If you are poor, what have the Democrats done for you? The poor have been voting for the Dems for 75 years and they are still poor.

[JERRY BATTECA]

05:52 PM on 09/29/2011

'The nearest thing to eternal
life we will ever see on
this earth is a
government program.'
- Ronald Reagan

[TeamAnarchy]

03:36 AM on 09/29/2011

Romney is not going to win the primary, ironically.

He’s just not “Jesus” enough.

Rick Perry is the stadium prayer guy. (The one who boisterously tells us all about the “real” Jesus, in stadium prayer). But doesn't acutally show up to the event for political reasons.

When has Romney declared his faith in Mormonism, in a stadium, Ever?

Romney like Perry, steals from the poor, but unlike Perry is NOT able to garner the American Religious Right, because he's a Mormon.

So unless the Mormons actually have infiltrated the Christian Religious Right in this country then I'll go with Perry winning the republican nomination because he's an acceptable religious republican sale.

Money Exchanger Republicans in the House of God, as usual.

Eric Cantor Knows.

It's the very side the GOP needs to pander to.

[RKTesq]

01:55 AM on 09/29/2011

You mean there are actually still some Republicans with measurable IQs?

[Veganie]

11:48 PM on 09/28/2011

The Texas state mental hospital is running low on prophets they need Perry and maybe Norquist could go with him