Iowa Pollster Unsure of Cain's Trajectory
In the roller coaster ride that is Herman Cain's presidential campaign, he emerged at the top of the well-regarded Iowa survey conducted by pollster Ann Selzer for The Des Moines Register -- only to crash into allegations of sexual harassment one day later.
While some Republican strategists are anticipating the bursting of the Cain bubble, Selzer said she can't predict how the unfolding scandal will affect his popularity. "We don't have any idea,'' she said.
"We couldn't find any vulnerabilities for Herman Cain, like we found with the other candidates,'' she said. "He just looked solid. Everybody likes him...If you were working for his campaign, this was exactly the poll you would want to see.''
Still, Selzer cautioned that at this time four years ago, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani were leading in Iowa. Mike Huckabee, then at 12 percent, went on to win the caucus. "People think it's late, but this is a protracted process and then it gets intense very quickly,'' Selzer said.
While some Republican strategists are anticipating the bursting of the Cain bubble, Selzer said she can't predict how the unfolding scandal will affect his popularity. "We don't have any idea,'' she said.
"We couldn't find any vulnerabilities for Herman Cain, like we found with the other candidates,'' she said. "He just looked solid. Everybody likes him...If you were working for his campaign, this was exactly the poll you would want to see.''
Still, Selzer cautioned that at this time four years ago, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani were leading in Iowa. Mike Huckabee, then at 12 percent, went on to win the caucus. "People think it's late, but this is a protracted process and then it gets intense very quickly,'' Selzer said.
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