And the next president of the United States (electoral college not nearly as close)....
"Economy the issue for N.H. voters; In poll, most favor higher taxes, not cuts, to address deficit; Romney has big lead" by Michael Levenson, Globe Staff / June 12, 2011
New Hampshire voters overwhelmingly see unemployment and the budget deficit as the biggest economic challenges the nation faces, but as they prepare to play their pivotal role in choosing the next president, they stand squarely opposed to some of the favored solutions of Republican candidates seeking their support.
With seven GOP contenders gathering to debate for the first time in New Hampshire tomorrow night, a Globe poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center confirmed that Mitt Romney continues to hold a commanding lead over his Republican rivals, although the great majority of likely voters said they remain undecided.
But it is the slow-to-recover economy, more than the emerging primary race, that is uppermost in the minds of New Hampshire voters.
In the Globe poll, more likely voters (42 percent) said the economy was still in a downturn than said it had started to recover (23 percent).
I no longer believe in agenda-pushing Globe polls, not since they had Marty Coakley winning the Senate seat by double digits; however, I do believe those numbers on economy.
This pessimism is especially striking in a state that has the third-lowest unemployment rate in the nation, but it reflects the fact that in the households of 35 percent of those polled at least one person had been unemployed in the past two years. Only 15 percent of those polled said they are better off financially than they were four years ago.
Which means only the wealthy have benefited from the alleged recovery.
“Given that New Hampshire is in much better economic shape than almost any other state, it’s surprising that concern about economic issues is very high,’’ said Andrew E. Smith, the director of the university’s survey center.
Also striking are the remedies that poll respondents said they would prefer to deal with these problems — responses that run counter to the rollback of social program spending and tax cuts that most candidates in the emerging Republican field now advocate.
Despite the state’s antitax reputation, most poll respondents said they would prefer to reduce the deficit by raising taxes on the wealthy, rather than eliminating federal agencies or cutting spending on Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.
Even among likely Republican primary voters, only 39 percent supported cutting Medicaid, and fewer than 30 percent supported cutting Medicare and Social Security....
What that tells you is ALL of the American people AGREE on NO MORE SOCIAL SERVICE CUTS!
“It’s not a politically popular process, and that points out the problem both parties are going to have, long term, in figuring out how to settle the debt,’’ Smith said. “There are a lot of very unpopular decisions that are going to have to be made.’’
Hey, END the WARS! That is POPULAR -- although not in $ome quarter$, I understand.
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The survey found Romney is, at this early stage, easily outpacing other Republican presidential candidates. The clear leader among Granite State voters since 2009, he has the support of 41 percent of likely GOP primary voters, far ahead of his nearest potential competitor, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is at 9 percent and has not decided whether to enter the race.
All the other candidates are in the single digits. But the first-in-the-nation primary remains highly unsettled: 76 percent of likely Republican voters said they are still making up their minds.
“Mitt Romney is the clear favorite, and no real second place has emerged to challenge Romney, as yet,’’ Smith said. “But the big factor is that the great majority of voters are nowhere near deciding who they are voting for. So he doesn’t have it in the bag, but I believe it’s Romney’s to lose right now.’’
Texas Representative Ron Paul has the support of 6 percent of likely GOP voters in New Hampshire, followed by Sarah Palin, who is at 5 percent and has not decided whether to run.
A very disappointing third. I'll bet his support is five times that; however, rigged voting machines will never tell you that.
Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann, a Tea Party favorite, is at 4 percent, tied with Herman Cain, a former pizza chain CEO.
Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, is at 3 percent, tied with Jon Huntsman, the former governor of Utah, Rick Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator, and Tim Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor. Gary Johnson, the former New Mexico governor, drew less than 1 percent in the poll.
Then how come Gingrich, Palin, and Pawlenty are getting far more media coverage than Ron Paul?
Bachmann, Cain, Gingrich, Paul, Pawlenty, Romney, and Santorum will take part in the televised debate at 8 p.m. tomorrow in Manchester. Romney is the only candidate to have gained traction in the state so far.
If Ron Paul isn't there, I'm not watching it.
“It will be Romney, if nobody else steps up,’’ said Donald Bolstridge, a 60-year-old retired paper delivery truck driver from Milton, who responded to the poll. “I mean, who else you got? There’s a lot of talk, but I don’t see their credentials and any solutions to the problems. Romney’s handled some tough situations, and he’s climbed his way out of them.’’
Bolstridge, a registered Republican who said he lost $3,000 in retirement savings in the last two years, implored the entire presidential field to focus on the economy.
“As far as social issues, we’ve got to worry about that later on,’’ he said. “There’s no time to be playing games with abortion. We’re in real serious trouble.’’
That is what I keep saying.
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Related:
"More than a dozen aides and advisers to Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign team, including his top staff and national cochairman, abruptly resigned yesterday, raising serious doubts about the viability of the former House speaker's bid for the White House....
In a sign that Gingrich was not shrinking from the public eye, — at least for now — a spokesman for the Republican Jewish Coalition said that Gingrich was still confirmed to deliver an address on the Middle East and US foreign policy at an event Sunday in Beverly Hills....
He knows who gets you elected -- or who gets you not elected.
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Role of Gingrich’s wife draws scrutiny
Also see: Romney takes heat over stance on auto industry bailout
Romney takes pass on Iowa straw poll
Why bother? He just won New Hampshire.
Alaska releases trove of e-mails from Palin’s term as governor
ABC World News Saturday was saying they made her look presidential from the clip I saw.
