Poll: Crist Pays No Price Among GOP Voters For Backing Stimulus
So has Florida Governor Charlie Crist done himself any political harm among Republican voters, after he hit the trail with President Obama to support the stimulus bill?
The answer, according to the new Quinnipiac poll in Florida, is not at all.
The poll says that in the open Senate race for the seat of retiring GOP Senator Mel Martinez, Crist could easily win a Republican primary, if he runs -- he's ahead of his nearest potential opponent by 53%-13%. And there are even more numbers that suggest GOP voters aren't holding his stimulus support against him.
Crist has an overall job approval of 67%, to 22% disapproval, essentially unchanged from the 65%-24% numbers a month ago. Among Republican voters only, Crist is at 71%-21% -- again, pretty much the same as last month's 72%-19%.
So if Crist has thus far not paid any political price for backing the stimulus, this invites an important question: Would there have been any real political risk at all if other Republicans who are otherwise popular at home had supported the bill?
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
My guess is that none of the state republican gopers, including governors, will take any hit at all concerning backing the stimulus and in fact their approval will probably go up with backing the stimulus. The dc gopers are brain dead. This may evidence a coming demise of the republican party as we know it. The dc republicans are completely out of touch with reality.
February 18, 2009 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Does anyone have any numbers to the converse? Have those opposed to the stimulus lost popularity?
February 18, 2009 4:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
They would have been ahead of the game if they had supported the stim bill, in my opinion. Their opposition to it was essentially the palin gambit all over again and we know how well that worked out for them.
A lot of them are singing its praises now that they're home. The question is can they claim credit for it after having opposed it? Turning the tables is a well-rehearsed gop tactic and somehow they get away with it when they use it.
February 18, 2009 5:31 PM | Reply | Permalink