Polls Show Perry Already Resonating With GOP Voters

A second poll released Tuesday showed a similar bright result for Perry and dismal return for Pawlenty and Huntsman. Gallup reported that Republicans who know the Texas governor hold an overwhelmingly positive view of him. Perry received a net positive intensity – the measure of how many voters strongly approve of a candidate minus those who strongly disapprove -- of 21 points. It was the same score as Bachmann’s, an indication that his backers share the fervent support that has propelled the Minnesota congresswoman to near the top of recent polls. 

Perry’s name identification still stood at just 55 percent, Gallup reported, well below rivals like Romney, Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. But even that was the number who recognized Pawlenty and higher than Huntsman, whose name ID stands at 41 percent.

Perry possesses strong numbers despite the fact he is not yet an official candidate and has considered entering the race only in recent months. Pawlenty, meanwhile, has been a de-facto presence on the campaign trail for most of the year and has still failed to gain traction in most polls.  

The numbers should hearten Perry: If he runs, he will compete with Huntsman and Pawlenty to become the alternative to the front-running Romney. Poor showings from the two former governors could coalesce support of the anti-Romney vote behind Perry. 

Good showings in national polls, of course, don’t necessarily translate into success in the primary, as Hillary Clinton’s and Rudy Giuliani’s 2008 campaigns can attest. Perry’s support could come in large part from Republican voters who view the current crop of candidates as lackluster, as a recent Gallup poll found. http://www.gallup.com/poll/148526/Majority-Republicans-Name-2012-Favorite.aspx

Pawlenty and Huntsman have also had a chance to build organizations in early states and collect supporters across the country – advantages that could play a key role as the early contests and Iowa and New Hampshire approach. Perry’s political adviser Dave Carney indicated in an interview last week with the National Journal that determining whether the governor can count on enough support from Republican officials across the country remains among the biggest obstacles to declaring a campaign.  

Even as he meets with donors and talks with top GOP officials, Rick Perry has yet to decide if he’s running for president. But two polls released Tuesday indicate that if the Texas governor chooses a campaign, he would enter the race better positioned than rivals who have campaigned for far longer. The still-undeclared Perry received 11 percent of support from Republicans in a NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey of the GOP presidential field, trailing only Michele Bachmann and early primary front-runner Mitt Romney. Nine would percent of GOP voters picked him as their second choice, according to the poll, tied for third highest.That’s good news for Perry, but bad news for two of his top potential opponents. The Texas governor’s totals dwarf those of ex-Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Utah Chief Executive Jon Huntsman. Each of the candidates, considered among the most likely to win the party’s nomination at one time, received the backing of just two percent of Republicans surveyed – meaning their combined support was less than half of Perry’s.A second poll released Tuesday showed a similar bright result for Perry and dismal return for Pawlenty and Huntsman. Gallup reported that Republicans who know the Texas governor hold an overwhelmingly positive view of him. Perry received a net positive intensity – the measure of how many voters strongly approve of a candidate minus those who strongly disapprove -- of 21 points. It was the same score as Bachmann’s, an indication that his backers share the fervent support that has propelled the Minnesota congresswoman to near the top of recent polls. Perry’s name identification still stood at just 55 percent, Gallup reported, well below rivals like Romney, Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. But even that was the number who recognized Pawlenty and higher than Huntsman, whose name ID stands at 41 percent.Perry possesses strong numbers despite the fact he is not yet an official candidate and has considered entering the race only in recent months. Pawlenty, meanwhile, has been a de-facto presence on the campaign trail for most of the year and has still failed to gain traction in most polls.  The numbers should hearten Perry: If he runs, he will compete with Huntsman and Pawlenty to become the alternative to the front-running Romney. Poor showings from the two former governors could coalesce support of the anti-Romney vote behind Perry. Good showings in national polls, of course, don’t necessarily translate into success in the primary, as Hillary Clinton’s and Rudy Giuliani’s 2008 campaigns can attest. Perry’s support could come in large part from Republican voters who view the current crop of candidates as lackluster, as a recent Gallup poll found. http://www.gallup.com/poll/148526/Majority-Republicans-Name-2012-Favorite.aspxPawlenty and Huntsman have also had a chance to build organizations in early states and collect supporters across the country – advantages that could play a key role as the early contests and Iowa and New Hampshire approach. Perry’s political adviser Dave Carney indicated in an interview last week with the National Journal that determining whether the governor can count on enough support from Republican officials across the country remains among the biggest obstacles to declaring a campaign.  

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