Reason-Rupe General Election Poll (3/26): Obama 41%, Romney 30%, Paul 17%

[Gravik]

Would love to see a debate between Paul, Obama, and Romney. Paul would make them both look like idiots.

 

[roc_rob]

Would love to see a debate between Paul, Obama, and Romney. Paul would make them both look like idiots.

As Paul would be pulling votes from both candidates, it would also make liberty ideals a more central topic of concern. I cannot think of a better way to spread the message.

 

[gerryb]

Anyone who reasonably believes that we can tap into greater levels of support beyond the GOP.

Anyone was allowed to show up and participate...

IF those LP people actually had principles, they would have voted for the most libertarian candidate to enter the national political landscape since Thomas Jefferson, and given Ron Paul a win with over 35% of the vote in IA...

 

[roc_rob]

Anyone was allowed to show up and participate...

And to me, that is exactly the point. 25k liberty-minded individuals in your example still considered GOP association to be a barrier to supporting Paul.

IF those LP people actually had principles, they would have voted for the most libertarian candidate to enter the national political landscape since Thomas Jefferson, and given Ron Paul a win with over 35% of the vote in IA...

I am more inclined to believe that it is the exact opposite of a lack of principles that kept them from voting. They may also not have voted because they want Paul to become the LP nominee, accurately predicted the establishment's active refusal of Paul, or simply did not want to inflate voter turn-out numbers for the GOP.

 

[gerryb]

And to me, that is exactly the point. 25k liberty-minded individuals in your example still considered GOP association to be a barrier to supporting Paul.

So what's the next excuse to not vote for Ron Paul, tax funds are utilized to conduct the election?

 

[roc_rob]

So what's the next excuse to not vote for Ron Paul, tax funds are utilized to conduct the election?

Rather than pointing fingers at potential supporters for things that have already happened, I am more interested in harnessing their strength. I believe a Ron Paul 3rd Party run is capable of exactly that.

 

[gerryb]

Rather than pointing fingers at potential supporters for things that have already happened, I am more interested in harnessing their strength. I believe a Ron Paul 3rd Party run is capable of exactly that.

So am I, and Ron Paul has committed the last 6 years of his life to harness that strength and gain a influence in, or majority control in many areas, of a vehicle capable of advancing his principles in a meaningful way.

 

[JusticeOWHjr]

So am I, and Ron Paul has committed the last 6 years of his life to harness that strength and gain a influence in, or majority control in many areas, of a vehicle capable of advancing his principles in a meaningful way.

Basically you have zero evidence or basis for calling the poll bogus. GO figures.

 

[69360]

Bogus poll is bogus.

How do you poll higher in a general election than you do in a primary?

Just look at the percentages of the population that vote in the general election vs the primary. Then look at the number of registered independents. You'll have your answer. The math works.

Lack of debates is disturbing...

The GOP primary has never gone this long in the age of mass media. They weren't prepared for this slog. Probably didn't schedule any more figuring it would be over by now.

 

[JusticeOWHjr]

This poll is a plant by the MSM to undermine Paul's campaign!

 

[sailingaway]

Independents can vote in almost half the primaries and caucuses we've had so far... Democrats could vote in a large number of them, as well.

there have been three of these now. The other two gave Ron 18% and 21%. NO independents are blocked in this poll, nor Dem. In the primary only GOP are polled on the national polls. UNLIKE THE OTHER GOP Ron has very strong support outside the party as well.

That is not to say Ron should leave the party, he put a lot of work into the GOP. But the poll is in line with the others polling him third party. I'm sure if he were actually running that way both parties would join to keep his polling numbers JUST UNDER what is necessary to be in the debates, of course.

 

[XTreat]

44% of people would be ok with a war that last as long and cost as much as the war with Iraq....

 

[Boss2]

What if RP ran as a "republican-democrat" and put a dem as his vp ?

The biggest challenge of the general election is that people vote for the two parties. This solves that problem fully and would be great for marketing

 

[roc_rob]

44% of people would be ok with a war that last as long and cost as much as the war with Iraq....

We need to claim 'spoiler' as a virtue.

Ron Paul, spoiling _______________ since 1976:

• undeclared wars
• tax hikes
• national debt
• the erosion of civil liberties
• corporate welfare
• inflation tax
• modern day Jim Crow laws
• ...

I am sure we can think of many more.

 

[RabbitMan]

Wasnt there a percentage of the vote that a party had to get in a Presidential Election to be considered a National Major party and put on all the ballots automatically? Didn't Nader try to do that in 2000? What'd he get? This is the only real positive thing that could come out of an indie run from Paul IMO. He certaintly won't win. Playing spoiler would only be beneficial in this light.

EDIT: A Third Party needs 5% of the popular vote to both receive federal funding in the next election cycle AND be on all 50 state ballots it seems. Interesting...that would be attainable. Though Nader only got 2.5% in 2000 and he was pretty popular across the country too.

My big problem with all of this indie talk is that Ron Paul philosophically lines up with non-neocon Republicans than Libertarians, the obvious outlet.

 

[Feeding the Abscess]

Wasnt there a percentage of the vote that a party had to get in a Presidential Election to be considered a National Major party and put on all the ballots automatically? Didn't Nader try to do that in 2000? What'd he get? This is the only real positive thing that could come out of an indie run from Paul IMO. He certaintly won't win. Playing spoiler would only be beneficial in this light.

EDIT: A Third Party needs 5% of the popular vote to both receive federal funding in the next election cycle AND be on all 50 state ballots it seems. Interesting...that would be attainable. Though Nader only got 2.5% in 2000 and he was pretty popular across the country too.

My big problem with all of this indie talk is that Ron Paul philosophically lines up with non-neocon Republicans than Libertarians, the obvious outlet.

Not sure what you're saying there. He talks all the time about rejecting the use of force and mandates, which is libertarian philosophy.

 

[cindy25]

If democrats are smart they'd do everything possible to get Ron polling well enough to get in the debates, including answering phone surveys acting like they Ron Paul supporters. It's true, if he ran 3rd party, Romney would stand 0% of winning.

and this has to be the threat to the GOP elite; win with Paul or lose with Romney or Santorum

 

[roc_rob]

and this has to be the threat to the GOP elite; win with Paul or lose with Romney or Santorum

I agree.

 

[RabbitMan]

Not sure what you're saying there. He talks all the time about rejecting the use of force and mandates, which is libertarian philosophy.

I've always been under the impression that the Libertarian Party was a more active promoter of maximizing freedom and liberty, whereas when you get to the nuts and bolts of it, Dr. Paul is an Old Right Republican whose main focus is the Rule of Law and fiscal/monetary sanity.

For example, Libertarians would say that you don't have the right to force your values on other people, and Dr. Paul would say that while this would be his preference, the Constitution(the law) says that Government at the State level can do all kinds of silly things. A Libertarian would be a bit more loose in his handling of foreign policy in order to maximize his people's freedoms; Paul would simply follow the rules by the books under the belief that they are the best list of directions we've got. That kind of thing.

 

[PolicyReader]

44% of people would be ok with a war that last as long and cost as much as the war with Iraq....

I wish I could persuade them to volunteer to go first, what with being so keen on it and all..