Yesterday was Super Tuesday, an important day for American democracy when citizens of one of the major parties headed to the polls to choose their standard-bearer. Republican voters should be excited about their favorite candidate, especially since so many in the party have been demanding new leadership and a new direction for the last four years.
So where's the enthusiasm? A new WashingtonPost-ABC News poll shows that there is very little.
According to the poll:
Texas Rep. Ron Paul does best with a 38 percent favorable rating and a 35 percent unfavorable rating. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, the frontrunner in the race, clocks in at a dismal 32 percent favorable score, 16 points lower than the 48 percent of independents who see him in an unfavorable light. Ditto former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum who is viewed favorably by just three in 10 independents. That looks positively outstanding when compared to the 21 percent -- yes, 21 percent -- of independents who view former House Speaker Newt Gingrich favorably.
Who or what is to blame for the lackluster numbers?
The answer is super PACs -- but not for the reason you might be thinking.
It's easy to say that Republicans and Independents have turned sour on the candidates because of a bloody primary season of candidate-specific super PACs beating up on opponents. It's true that the public is disgusted by the amount of negative advertising; and that in spite of the Supreme Court's delusions, the general public does not believe super PACs are truly independent of the candidates they support, and so likely blames the candidates for much of the negativity.
However, there is a more fundamental problem that explains much of the disconnect between the Republican candidates and the rank-and-file voters: the fact is, voters did not choose these candidates -- donors did.
It has become clear over the course of this primary season that a candidate's super PAC's prowess in knocking down the competition is key to staying in the race. Yet a recent U.S.PIRG/Demos study found that of all itemized contributions to super PACs, 96% came in contributions of $10,000 or more from just 1097 donors.
Let me say that another way: the equivalent of 0.000351% of the population of the United States (or just 35 of every 10 million Americans) has given 96% of the money determining who stays and who goes in the Republican primary.
Is it any wonder that those headed to the polls yesterday were not exactly gushing with enthusiasm for candidates who were hand-picked for them by a tiny group of wealthy donors?
A world where candidates actually had to rely on small contributions, contributions that every American household could afford to make if they so choose, could look quite different. Either the current crop of Republican candidates would have spent more time talking about the issues that really matter to rank-and-file Republicans and Independents rather than the issues that really matter to Sheldon Adelson and Foster Friess; or voters would be casting their ballots for an entirely different set of Republican candidates.
Either way, it's safe to assume that voters would be more excited about going to the polls yesterday.
This is just one more reason why leaders on both sides of the aisle should be working to overturn Citizens United and related cases.
Follow Blair Bowie on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@blairbowie
Margie Omero: Super Tuesday Surprise! Santorum Now Has a Woman Problem
 |
 |
|
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Electoral Votes (270 to win) |
332 | 206 |
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 65,899,660 | 60,932,152 |
| Percent | 51.1% | 47.2% |
| Democrats* | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Current Senate | 53 | 47 |
| Seats gained or lost | +2 | -2 |
| New Total | 55 | 45 |
| Democrats | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats won | 201 | 234 |
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitt Romney |
Rick Santorum |
Newt Gingrich |
Ron Paul |
|
|
N.D.
100% rpt. |
23.7 | 39.7 | 8.5 | 28.1 |
|
Ga.
100% rpt. |
25.9 | 19.6 | 47.2 | 6.6 |
|
Va.
100% rpt. |
59.5 | — | — | 40.5 |
|
Vt.
100% rpt. |
39.7 | 23.7 | 8.2 | 25.5 |
|
Ohio
100% rpt. |
37.9 | 37.1 | 14.6 | 9.2 |
|
Tenn.
100% rpt. |
28.1 | 37.2 | 23.9 | 9.0 |
|
Okla.
100% rpt. |
28.0 | 33.8 | 27.5 | 9.6 |
|
Mass.
100% rpt. |
72.2 | 12.0 | 4.6 | 9.5 |
|
Alaska
100% rpt. |
32.4 | 29.2 | 14.1 | 24.0 |
|
Idaho
100% rpt. |
61.6 | 18.2 | 2.1 | 18.1 |
353 delegates have been allocated so far. 419 are up for grabs tonight. 1,114 are needed to win the nomination. Related story »
| Mitt Romney |
Rick Santorum |
Newt Gingrich |
Ron Paul |
|
| Before March 6 |
203 | 92 | 33 | 25 |
| Super Tuesday |
212 | 86 | 74 | 21 |
New Total |
415 | 178 | 107 | 46 |
The problem is that we let the voters of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina decide who stays in the race.
We need a national one-day primary.
True, these PAC's are loathsome.
The reason for the poor turnout (or at least basically an GOP extremist turnout) is that even the repubs recognize they have a clown car running for office. Not one of these candidates can beat the President. I have many repub friends, and they are disgusted with the field- to the point of being actually embarrased. Many have told me that if their only choice in the fall is one of these absurdities, that they will not vote.
I certainly understand why.
I wish more people would hold voters responsible - including being responsible for the fact that they require candidates to have massive amounts of money spent on them to pay attention.
Y'all have a nice day now!
BULL!
Money does not determine who is elected. Voters do.
They don't need your help manipulated what messages they hear, or how much of them, or any of that. They are not idiots who do whatever they're told by TV ads.
Your premise that money controls elections shows a complete lack of faith in and respect for democracy.
If you are not rich or the friend of the rich or can get your hands on millions you do not exist in US politics today.
In truth in many cases candidates have never been heard of before materialize from private campaign committees out of the blue. I spent 20 years in active politics and I promise you the part of our democracy that is open to the general public is not where the candidates come from.
...if you want an example par excellance see Rick Scott Governor of Florida. He is a creature of money who no one in Florida ever heard of before.
But whose fault is that?
Money doesn't vote. If the people want someone who isn't spending money, there is NOTHING stopping them from choosing them. All they need to do is get on the ballot. Yet the voters keep choosing whoever spends the most money. That is 100% their fault.
Sounds like Occupy Wall Street. But what, exactly, is your point? Is somebody following you around with a bullhorn?
Yeah, the White House/mediamatters machine isn't TOO dedicated to trying to drive Righties off the air.
If the Tea Party is so libertarian, why is Ron Paul in last place?
The Tea Party is just the extreme right wing re-branding itself after the failure of its previous brand, neo-conservatism.
I have to support President Obama's Super PAC because this election is so corrupted by so few big money donors President Obama must prepare to face the avalanche of negative ads coming his way with his own "independent" Super PAC.
I agree Citizens United must be overturned by Constitutional Amendment as soon as possible.
Looks like Obama made some major strides with Super Tuesday. Of all the candidates, the only one that stands apart from Obama is Ron Paul. It’s quite obvious the media is pushing for someone that will continue to support the establishment, big corporations with bags of money feeding the talking heads on Fox, CNN and MSNBC. There is so much voter fraud going on that it is making me sick. The media is ignoring this fact. We must find a way to fight back for our freedom.
I am asking to take a true poll online and vote here so that I can test my case on what I am saying is true. Please vote here if you support Ron Paul and to prove who is truly wining this GOP run. This should tell us how misrepresented we are even in our electoral system.
Please Vote here if you support Ron Paul. THUMBS UP FOR RON PAUL 2012
Feel free to copy and paste this to get the word out that America is being robbed of their true candidate.
so are you an average ron paul supporter?
or a smarter than average one?
We have the power to change it, but we do nothing.
The two-party system is strategic. Voters want their votes to make a difference, and the only way to do that is to choose a candidate with a chance of winning, which means getting more than 50% of the vote. Third parties have no hope - unless they replace one of the big two. So actually, voters who reject third parties aren't dumb, they're smart.
To learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duverger%27s_law
Vote independent for Congress!
Now THAT would send a message.