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Subscribe to RSSAn NBC News poll shows that GOP presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are neck-and-neck in Michigan, Romney's birthplace. Romney, meanwhile, has a comfortable lead in Arizona, which has a sizable Mormon population.
Less than a week before Tuesday’s crucial Republican presidential primary in Michigan, a new NBC News/Marist poll shows Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum locked in a statistical tie, while a separate NBC/Marist survey shows Romney comfortably leading in Arizona, which holds its primary the same day.
In Michigan – which has turned into a make-or-break contest for Romney – the former Massachusetts governor gets the support of 37 percent of likely GOP primary voters, including those who are leaning toward a particular candidate.
NBC-Marist poll results: Michigan | Arizona
Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator, gets 35 percent, and he’s followed by Texas Rep. Ron Paul at 13 percent and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 8 percent.
NYT: GOP campaigns grow more dependent on 'super PAC' aid
“Michigan is neck and neck,” says pollster Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, which conducted both surveys.
But in Arizona, Romney is on safer ground: He receives the support of 43 percent of likely GOP primary voters, Santorum gets 27 percent, Gingrich 16 percent and Paul 11 percent.
And looking ahead to November’s general election, President Barack Obama enjoys a double-digit edge over his closest GOP competition in Michigan (a state Republicans are hoping to target), while he’s trailing the leading Republicans in Arizona (which the Obama camp wants to put into play).
Romney vs. Santorum ideological breakdown
In both states, support for Romney and Santorum breaks down along ideological lines, as well as whether voters have already cast their ballots.
In Michigan, Santorum leads Romney among self-identified Tea Party supporters, 48 to 29 percent, and those who describe themselves as “very conservative,” 59 to 20 percent.
Michigan voters: Santorum connects better than Romney
Yet among those who don’t support the Tea Party, Romney is ahead by more than 20 points, 45 to 24 percent.
And among those who have already voted absentee in Michigan – 16 percent of likely GOP voters – Romney leads Santorum, 49 to 26 percent.
NYT: After auto industry bailout, Detroit fallout trails Romney
The same ideological pattern is true in Arizona, although Romney performs much better with the most conservative voters there than in Michigan.
And among those who have voted early or absentee in Arizona – more than half of all likely Republicans voters in the poll – Romney holds a 30-point advantage over Santorum, 52 to 22 percent.
Obama leads in Michigan, trails in Arizona
Turning to the general-election race in November, Obama leads Romney in Michigan by nearly 20 points among registered voters, 51 to 33 percent, with 15 percent undecided.
Against Paul, the president’s lead is 22 points (53 to 31 percent); against Santorum, it’s 26 points (55 to 29 percent); and against Gingrich, it’s 28 points (56 to 28 percent).
What’s more, 51 percent of registered Michigan voters approve of Obama’s job; 63 percent of them believe the auto industry bailout was a good idea (including 61 percent of independents and 42 percent of likely GOP primary voters); and a majority think the president deserves credit for the auto industry’s recovery.
But Arizona is tougher territory for the president, whose approval rating among registered voters in the state is just 38 percent.
NYT: Obama offers to cut corporate tax rate to 28%
In hypothetical match-ups, Obama trails Romney by five points (40 to 45 percent); Santorum by three (42 to 45 percent); Paul by 2 points (41 to 43 percent); yet he leads Gingrich by five (45 to 40 percent).
The NBC/Marist survey of Michigan was conducted Feb. 19-20 of 3,149 registered voters (margin of error of plus-minus 1.8 percentage points) and 715 likely Republican primary voters (plus-minus 3.7 percentage points).
The NBC/Marist survey of Arizona also was conducted Feb. 19-20 of 2,487 registered voters (plus-minus 2.0 percentage points) and 767 likely GOP primary voters (plus-minus 3.5 percentage points).
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To the GOP:
Freedom of religion means keeping your church out of my body, my home, my school, my business, my government, and my life and yanking all tax free exemptions from all churches and religious organizations. THAT is freedom of religion. And all religious rants by political candidates need to be banned on all broadcast stations other than the religious ones. THAT is freedom of religion. I am free to believe and practice my own convictions interfering with no one else and Hard Right Christians are stepping on my rights everyday. THAT is NOT freedom of religion.
You have awakened the sleeping goddesses in every woman as well. And by the way don't mess with mother nature because when momma's unhappy ,,, well you know how that one goes. Good luck with that.
Women are on the march against these men and we are in the majority.
Just one woman's opinion.
Nanji,
Your so right, I hope this will wake up the women in this country, still cant get the equal rights amendment passed, and now they want them bare foot and pregnant, and back in the kitchen. If thats not bad enough, they want you to become teachers in the home. Home schooling is the wave of the future for the repubs.
Bingo!!!
By the time the Republican convention rolls around the GOP pick will equal congress just a shade above the unemployment rate?
I for one am looking forward to Wednesday night’s debate. My predictions: 1.) Romney says he supports plugging all holes along the border, just not by a gay sheriff. 2.) Santorum continues impersonating a distraught, recently divorced Cub Scout troop leader. 3.) Ron Paul confesses being the incarnation of Heaven’s Gate cult leader Marshall Applewhite, and 4.) Gingrich rages against the evils of the modern European state in perfectly fluent staccato German. For a few more laughs related -- this time related to Obama and his Secret Service -- check out this funny YouTube video:
A vote for Mutt is a vote to let the Rust Belt rust to the core. He will then swoop in and pick apart the pieces to fill up his already bulging coffers. This is what wealth redistribution looks like, except the poor are the ones drained of capital.
wake up america everybody needs to read the shadow of power/the council for foreign relations to see where this world is headed the council for foreign relations decides who gets elected and is controlled by wall street, the world bank, the imf,the federal reserve and the 1%ers the books don't support any parties
Obama will defeat the evangelicals and the mormon, because he has his mind on finding real solutions and not on praying for solutions.
Santorum has a Messiah complex. Just another Beck type of sociopath that we have put up with until he gets the hook and is dragged off the national stage as well.
Just one woman's opinion.
Mas media needs abolished, they do nothing but harm the general public with this strummed up hypercritical bullchit that gets fed to US daily from losers who would be in the same boat as the rest of the population if these corporations and tubers of stupidly rich keep bending the system.. sad you would be on the same chopping block... best get your heads out of the sand and report the REAL news regardless of recourse to your wussy little office job.. RON PAUL!!!is the ONLY ONE! rest are chosen for US....
Mas media needs abolished,
Another teatard who just loves the constitution!!!!!!!!!!!
The sun is up and its a glorious day. As I wait to see who will say the most outrageous, idiotic thing this Wednesday, I think gosh it's gonna be a great day! I hope Newt got his broke down bus back in order, I kinda miss his space colony ramblings.
My vote is for Santorum.
Then your vote is for a Taliban in Christian clothing! I'd much rather vote for upholding the Constitution and FREEDOM!
Would you people like to bring our jobs back to America and take our country back....Look up ("Exporting America") and don't do business with these companies. And if you don't...you have no one to blame but your self's. "Period". We cant compete with the cheap labor but we do have the power to bring these jobs back. There is no sense in these companies out sourcing our jobs and turning right around and selling these products back to us (America) and getting rich rich rich richer.."Period" Whether you realize it or not we have the power to do this just like who we want in congress by our election process.
Obama 2012
Funny, I always thought it was the Congress that controlled the purse strings, not a President.
I guess I could equate it to a husband/wife example.
Hubby: Honey, I want a new BMW every week. Pay for it.
Wife: Dear, I don't think your job at Mickey D's will afford that.
Hubby: Doesn't matter. I'm the President of this family and I'm ordering it.
Wife: Ok dear. I could say no, but after all, YOU ARE the President and I have to do everything you say. Right?
Sounds like the Congress bares absolutely no responsibility for the financial mess. Just keep blaming the current President. Now you can vote him out and put in the new guy to be blamed for the economy.
another rigged election for the puppets
Frothy and Mittens sitting in a tree...K-I-S-S-I-N-G.....
Say what you want Mitt, Rick, and newt are not Republicans the only one is Ron Paul. We need someone who really cares about America not these wall street sluts, war mongering, religious nutcase and liar without morals.
the only thing going against ron paul is his age
Willman, If that's the only thing going against him I am voting for Ron Paul.
and this...
Isn't is nice to see that we can all be adults and actually have an intelligent exchange? /sarc
Divide and conquer is the name of their game and we're letting them win. WE need to take the power back from those who wield it to enslave us. When will people wake up?
we need someone like congessman allen west he would be a great potus
Joe, please tell me your kidding. Right? You cannot be serious Allen West would make a great President. He makes Santorum look like a lefty!
OK, now I KNOW you're a troll Joe. West is one sick dude.
and obama is the biggst slave driver
I guess Newt's day in the sun is over.
Newt who?
LOL
In Michigan...It's gonna be an Obama blowout, simply b/c of the auto bailout!
The Shemp lookalike(Mittens) and the religious nutcase(Sanitorium) nominees simply have no sense of reality. The other two leftovers are, well... leftovers. 'Nuff said...!
Obama/Biden win again in 2012! No doubt!! NEXT?
Let the silly Republican primary show go on!!
It's great isn't it - LOL
Obama 2012
Let them drag each other through the mud and go broke doing it - keep it going!!
Pass the popcorn please.
It is sickening when you think of the billions of dollars these guys have spent and are going to spend just to eventually loose to each other and then to Obama.
People are tired of the fear mongering, name calling, faith attacking, lies and negative trash that keeps coming from the republican side. Obama may not be the greatest but at least he puts forth the image that he is trying to make things better rather than spew apocalyptic visions of hate, doom and gloom.
Independents like myself have never (and will never) buy into that crap.
The report says people care about religion in the political arena. Will somebody PLEASE explain to the American electorate why mormonism is so kooky! What is the point of saying that politics matter and then not saying WHY Catholocism, Evangelical Christiianity, UNitarianism, and especially mormonism matters? If people knoew what mormons really believe and practice: they'd run from romney!
The worst part is that anyone would vote or support any of these politicians. This is how sad America has become voting for and keeping this group of crooks that have been destroying this country. If you care about this country none of the above is the only way to start to fix it.