Poll: Obama 42, Romney 36, Paul 13

[Epic]

PPP's monthly look ahead to the 2012 Presidential race finds that Ron Paul could play a major role as a third party candidate. He gets 13% in a hypothetical three way contest with Barack Obama getting 42% and Mitt Romney 36%.

Paul would draw his support in such a scenario from conservative leaning voters who are unhappy with the Republican party. 44% who say they would vote for him are Republicans compared to 41% independents and 15% Democrats. 49% are conservatives, 37% are moderates, and 14% are liberals. But only 26% of them think Congressional Republicans are doing a good job to 61% who disapprove

In a direct head to head between Obama and Romney the President leads 45-42 so Paul as a third party candidate could be worth roughly 3 points to Obama's margin of victory.

http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot....thly-2012.html

Among men, it's Romney 38, Obama 36, Paul 16

Favorables:

Romney: 35/37
Huckabee: 32/34
Palin: 37/54
Gingrich: 31/48
Christie: 14/20
Ron Paul: 23/34 (16/35 among women, 31/34 among men, 27/21 among students)

Favorables with independents:

Paul: +1 (best)
Gingrich: -27
Palin: -23
Obama: -5
Huckabee: -14
Romney: -6

[Lucille]

Why do these pollsters constantly fantasize about a Ron Paul third party run? How many times does he have to say he won't run third party because it's a dead end road? The two-headed one party system has it all locked up.

Is it just an attempt to demonize him in his own party ahead of the '12 campaigns?

[malkusm]

Compare this to the first poll conducted in 1992 which included Ross Perot as an Independent candidate:

Bush 37%
Clinton 35%
Perot 21%

Then consider that, 4 months later amidst a souring economy, Perot was leading the polls.

[malkusm]

Why do these pollsters constantly fantasize about a Ron Paul third party run? How many times does he have to say he won't run third party because it's a dead end road? The two-headed one party system has it all locked up.

Is it just an attempt to demonize him in his own party ahead of the '12 campaigns?

No, the GOP leadership has already demonized Paul enough, I think.

I continue to say that Ron should run on the GOP ticket through Iowa and New Hampshire. If he doesn't sniff a victory in either state, drop out and run Independent, in time for the "sore loser" laws in other states to be null and void. Announce an independent-minded Democrat as your running mate, and run your campaign on "the end of partisanship, the beginning of freedom." Maybe someone like this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Schweitzer

ETA: Also, dropping out and running Independent does nothing to damage the work we will continue to do within the GOP. He will be 76 years old in 2012 and would likely be contemplating retirement from Congress regardless.

[Jordan]

I'm almost in support of a final "fuck-all" move by Ron as an independent.

[Romulus]

No, the GOP leadership has already demonized Paul enough, I think.

I continue to say that Ron should run on the GOP ticket through Iowa and New Hampshire. If he doesn't sniff a victory in either state, drop out and run Independent, in time for the "sore loser" laws in other states to be null and void. Announce an independent-minded Democrat as your running mate, and run your campaign on "the end of partisanship, the beginning of freedom." Maybe someone like this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Schweitzer

ETA: Also, dropping out and running Independent does nothing to damage the work we will continue to do within the GOP. He will be 76 years old in 2012 and would likely be contemplating retirement from Congress regardless.

I like this idea - but the debates are key to public opinion, and if he is not in them, he doesnt stand a chance.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

Just seeing Ron Paul in double digits does my heart good. Keep up the pressure folks and keep doing what you know how to do to wake the people up. The day is coming soon where we are going to lead a steamroller all across the land putting liberty candidates into offices at the local, state and federal levels and it is going all the way to the White House.

Ron Paul 2012 FTW

[South Park Fan]

Keep in mind the threshhold to get in the debates is 15%. Ron Paul hasn't even announced a Republican campaign yet and he's at 13%. If it becomes apparent that he can't win the nomination and the GOP can't beat Obama, he should capitalize on the possibility of being in the presidential debates against Obama and Romney (or whoever the neocons put up). Assuming he could maintain his good poll numbers, he could be attacking Obama for continuing Bush's policies abroad and on civil liberties, attack Romney for his corporatism, and give both of them a lesson on economics.

[South Park Fan]

Compare this to the first poll conducted in 1992 which included Ross Perot as an Independent candidate:

Bush 37%
Clinton 35%
Perot 21%

Then consider that, 4 months later amidst a souring economy, Perot was leading the polls.

As I recall, he dropped out while he was ahead, then reentered at 7%, then the debates boosted him to 19%.

[Stary Hickory]

If Ron Paul runs as a third party I will not support him nor forgive him. He will be condemning us to suffer under the HC Bill. There never is a leftist third party challenger only the conservative crowd entertains the idea.

In fact both times Clinton was able to get elected thanks to Ross Perot a third party candidate. I am glad people here are so apt to be used as political pawns to ensure a leftist win. I however am appalled at what has been done this year, to our economy, to our HC, to our liberties, and the corruption, bailouts, and the bribes and dirty deals.

I want HC undone, and my freedoms preserved, a 2012 win by any Democrat will not do this for me, nor will there be ANY chance at reigning in government. Obama and his administration are WORSE than Bush and this despite my being apathetic to Obama getting elected because Bush disgusted me so much. I was wrong to be apathetic, I learned that the Democrats are capable of serious crimes against the most basic of human rights.

This I had not understood fully until after this administration, I had thought they were scum of course, but not like this.