MN-Pres

Poll: Both Pawlenty And Bachmann Would Lose Minnesota In General Election

Eric Kleefeld | June 8, 2011, 2:13PM

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Minnesota has a distinction in this presidential cycle, with two different candidates likely in the race for the Republican nomination. But as a new survey from Public Policy Polling (D) suggests, both former Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Rep. Michele Bachmann would probably lose their home state to President Obama were they the GOP nominee.

Obama leads Pawlenty by a solid 51%-43%, and leads Bachmann by a landslide margin of 56%-35%. Obama's approval rating in the state is 51%, with a disapproval of 44%. By comparison, Pawlenty's personal favorable rating is only 40%, with a 53% unfavorable rating, and Bachmann's personal rating is at 33%-59%.

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2012 elections

PPP Poll: Pawlenty Trails Obama In Minnesota -- And Romney Does Better

Eric Kleefeld | December 8, 2010, 3:57PM

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) and President Barack Obama

The new survey of Minnesota from Public Policy Polling (D) finds President Obama leading various potential Republican challengers for 2012 -- including the state's departing governor, Tim Pawlenty. And not only that, but this poll has an extra-bad data point for Pawlenty. Mitt Romney actually does better in Minnesota than Minnesota's governor.

Obama carried Minnesota by a 54%-44% margin against John McCain in 2008. The state has not voted Republican at the presidential level since the Nixon landslide of 1972. It was the only state to vote for its Democratic native son Walter Mondale in the Reagan landslide of 1984, but in fact he won it only narrowly.

In this poll, Obama leads Newt Gingrich by 51%-38%, leads Mike Huckabee by 50%-40%, and trounces Sarah Palin by 54%-36%. As it turns out, he leads Pawlenty by 51%-43%, but only leads Romney by 47%-42%.

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