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Romney ahead in Republican race for president
Source: Agencies |
November 14, 2011, Monday
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MITT Romney has a growing lead in the race for the 2012 Republican US presidential nomination, and almost half the party's voters expect him to be the nominee, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Twenty-eight percent of Republicans backed the former Massachusetts governor, giving him a lead of 8 percentage points over his nearest challenger, Herman Cain. Romney was 5 percentage points ahead in a survey just three days earlier.
Newt Gingrich, the US House of Representatives speaker in the mid-1990s, solidified a recent rise among conservatives seeking an alternative to the more moderate Romney, coming in third place with 16 percent.
Gingrich, who is seen as having performed well in recent debates, was viewed as the second-most "presidential" of the Republican hopefuls, according to the poll.
Whether or not they support him, almost half of the Republicans surveyed expect Romney to become the nominee to oppose President Barack Obama in the November 2012 election.
Romney, who also ran for president in 2008, has been in first or second place in polls for months and enjoys by far the most campaign funds of the Republican field.
But some in his party see him as too liberal, and he has so far failed to boost his support in polls. The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, however, shows he is benefiting from missteps by his rivals.
"As the other candidates falter, his image comes into relief," Ipsos pollster Cliff Young said.
The campaign of former pizza executive Cain has been dogged by allegations that he sexually harassed four women in the late 1990s. He has denied the allegations.
Texas Governor Rick Perry was in fourth place with 12 percent in the latest poll, which was taken on the heels of his disastrous performance in a debate on Wednesday when he could not remember key details of one of his main policy proposals. He had 10 percent in the previous poll.
When judged on his personal qualities, Romney was rated strongly by Republicans, while both Perry and Cain trailed in important categories.
Romney, the former head of private equity firm Bain Capital, said his business experience gives him an advantage over other Republicans and over Obama in the quest to create jobs in a sluggish US economy.
Far more voters see Romney as "presidential" than those who feel the same way about his Republican rivals, with 34 percent in the poll saying he is the most "presidential" candidate in the field.
Young said: "Going into the primaries, he is in a strong position and his image is solidifying around a very important attribute, which is being presidential, or being seen as presidential."
Gingrich, whose campaign is gaining momentum after struggling with staff desertions in the summer, was seen as the second-most presidential candidate with 19 percent, 1 point ahead of Cain. Perry trailed at 11 percent.
Gingrich, keeping to his form in previous debates, attacked Obama instead of the other Republican candidates at a debate devoted to foreign policy on Saturday.
Twenty-eight percent of Republicans backed the former Massachusetts governor, giving him a lead of 8 percentage points over his nearest challenger, Herman Cain. Romney was 5 percentage points ahead in a survey just three days earlier.
Newt Gingrich, the US House of Representatives speaker in the mid-1990s, solidified a recent rise among conservatives seeking an alternative to the more moderate Romney, coming in third place with 16 percent.
Gingrich, who is seen as having performed well in recent debates, was viewed as the second-most "presidential" of the Republican hopefuls, according to the poll.
Whether or not they support him, almost half of the Republicans surveyed expect Romney to become the nominee to oppose President Barack Obama in the November 2012 election.
Romney, who also ran for president in 2008, has been in first or second place in polls for months and enjoys by far the most campaign funds of the Republican field.
But some in his party see him as too liberal, and he has so far failed to boost his support in polls. The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, however, shows he is benefiting from missteps by his rivals.
"As the other candidates falter, his image comes into relief," Ipsos pollster Cliff Young said.
The campaign of former pizza executive Cain has been dogged by allegations that he sexually harassed four women in the late 1990s. He has denied the allegations.
Texas Governor Rick Perry was in fourth place with 12 percent in the latest poll, which was taken on the heels of his disastrous performance in a debate on Wednesday when he could not remember key details of one of his main policy proposals. He had 10 percent in the previous poll.
When judged on his personal qualities, Romney was rated strongly by Republicans, while both Perry and Cain trailed in important categories.
Romney, the former head of private equity firm Bain Capital, said his business experience gives him an advantage over other Republicans and over Obama in the quest to create jobs in a sluggish US economy.
Far more voters see Romney as "presidential" than those who feel the same way about his Republican rivals, with 34 percent in the poll saying he is the most "presidential" candidate in the field.
Young said: "Going into the primaries, he is in a strong position and his image is solidifying around a very important attribute, which is being presidential, or being seen as presidential."
Gingrich, whose campaign is gaining momentum after struggling with staff desertions in the summer, was seen as the second-most presidential candidate with 19 percent, 1 point ahead of Cain. Perry trailed at 11 percent.
Gingrich, keeping to his form in previous debates, attacked Obama instead of the other Republican candidates at a debate devoted to foreign policy on Saturday.
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