Michigan 'Power Outsiders' Would Choose Mitt Romney for Nomination
Local influential Republicans say they like Romney's business background, confidence and principles.
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A survey of influential southeast Michigan Republicans shows a clear preference for Mitt Romney over Rick Santorum for the Republican presidential nomination.
According to the latest Power Outsiders survey conducted by The Huffington Post and Patch, eight of 12 Michiganders surveyed said they would choose Romney if the race for the Republican nomination came down to a choice between Romney and Santorum.
The HuffPost-Patch GOP Power Outsiders poll reaches out to political activists, party officials and officeholders to observe the critical "invisible primary" that is usually a strong leading indicator of the preferences of voters in a presidential nomination. While our Republican respondents are outsiders from the perspective of Washington, DC, they are insiders within their local communities. This week, we interviewed 166 Power Outsiders, including 12 in Michigan, 28 in South Carolina, 27 in Iowa and 23 in New Hampshire.
Of the 166 people surveyed nationally this week, 52 percent said they prefer Romney, while 22 percent said they support Santorum, up from 11 percent in mid-January. Romney's support has remained stable.
Two Michigan respondents stated they believe Romney has what it takes to beat President Barack Obama in the November presidential election, while another praised Romney's business background.
"As a business owner Romney has the knowledge and intellect to get spending under control. Similar to Governor Snyder," the respondent wrote.
A Santorum supporter said they like that he is a "fiscal and social conservative," but a Romney supporter said, "Santorum failed now that the light is shining on him. He is status quo big spending Washington insider."
Romney impresses in Wednesday's debate
This week's survey was designed to get reaction from Outsiders after Wednesday night's Republican presidential debate.
Six of the 12 respondents in Michigan said they thought Romney won the debate. Four said they thought Newt Gingrich won the debate. One gave it to Santorum and another was undecided.
"Mitt distanced himself with a great debate," said one respondent. "Rick had good spots, but got exposed on earmarks, and looked awkward at times. ... I believe that Mitt gives the Republicans the best chance to win back the White House. There will be no brokered convention and Super Tuesday will bear that out."
Michigan's HuffPost-Patch Power Outsiders
- Bryan Bently (Active Republican, Plymouth Township)
- Jim Carson (Dexter Village Trustee)
- Kathy Crawford (Oakland County Commissioner, District 9)
- Dan Devine (Bloomfield Township Treasurer)
- Anthony Forlini (State Rep., 24th District)
- Andrea LaFontaine (State Rep., 32nd District)
- Rob Montilla (Chair, Republican Committee of Northern Macomb County)
- Alicia Ping (Washtenaw County Commissioner)
- Dave Potts (Oakland County Commissioner)
- Mike Reno (Active Republican, Rochester Hills)
- Steven Stoll (Vice Chair of the Macomb Township Republican Caucus)
- Joseph Xuereb (Republican Party Chair, Wayne County 11th District)
Power Outsiders is a Patch-Huffington Post project that surveys influential Republicans around the country.
lovetheusa1234
9:32 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
Mitt Romney is the candidate who will bring pride and prosperity back to the USA. When he speaks, his love for this country comes through. He is not in this for a power grab as is Santorum. Why would Romney give up a successful career? It’s because he wants to get this country back on track. It’s not the establishment republicans only who back Mitt Romney, it is the common person like me. We are the ones sending in our $25 to help him win this election. We don’t care that he is a Mormon, we look beyond the “categories” and look to a person who deeply wants to set this country on the right track. Let’s elect Mitt and watch a real American presidential campaign this fall.
Herb Helzer
5:00 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
Couple of quick notes:
Willard "Mitt" Romney's "successful career" ended more than a dozen years ago by his own choice, when he jumped at the chance to control the 2002 Winter Olympics. He used this highly-visible position to campaign for Governor of Massachusetts in 2002. He served just the one term, announcing way back in December 2005 that he wouldn't seek re-election, but would explore a presidential run. He officially began campaigning for President on 13 February 2007...and has never stopped.
If readers grasp nothing else, they need to recognize that for the past SIXTY months Romney has done nothing but run for President.
Romney's motivation is questionable. You've been convinced "he wants to get this country back on track." Some 60-70% of REPUBLICANS remain unconvinced, and the compelling evidence of Mitt's own flip-flopping and ever-changing policy stands supports a very different conclusion: This is all about Romney's personal ambition. The man will do or say anything to any audience to win, regardless of the myriad contradictions that have resulted.
That's not just me saying that: It reflects statements made by his primary opponents, prominent right-wing bloggers and columnists, Fox News personalities, Republican Party strategists and Tea Party activists across the country.
They do not like Romney -- but most of them dislike Gingrich or Santorum even more, and their fanatical hatred of our President compels them to support Mitt out of necessity.
Dale Behler
9:09 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
Herb....Pardon me for disagreeing with you somewhat, but Obama started campaigning for re-election the day he took office and has not stopped since that time. I really am not impressed with any of the the Republican candidates but scared to death of another four youes of Obama failures. This country is in grave shape as far as competent leadership is concerned in both parties. The vote in November will be for whomever one considers to be the lesser of two evils. Maybe a third party is the only answer to salvage the nation. Judging from what I hear from people I talk to, I have a feeling I'm not alone with those feelings. When we have been in deep trouble in the past, there has always been a stron leader come forward to guide us through difficult times. Let's hope we are blessed with such a strong and honorable leader very soon.
Muriel Kaier
3:39 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
What exactly is Romney going to do to get this country back on track? I have been listening to him speak for months and he has not made one statement about a plan or specific idea about what he will do to create jobs, make the banking industry accountable, etc. He has said he would let people facing foreclosures on their homes just fail and let people with money buy their homes for rental property. He did say he would have let the auto companies fail, too. If the auto companies went bankrupt, all the suppliers would lose their businesses. That would also mean all the grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, party stores, drug stores, etc. would lose their businesses, too. How are those ideas going to help America? How are those ideas going to help Michigan?
Jerry Grady
3:54 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
The auto companies did go bankrupt and many many suppliers lost everything. They went out of business even though it was a Government Bankruptcy. Bond Holders lost millions. Retired White Collar workers lost pension benefits, and all the other entities you talk about, they closed too. But why do we continue to look in the past, lets look at what the future holds for Michigan. Lets be the example of how America can turn around. States are starting to model what Michigan has done. Lets all focus on the positives of what this state has done, lets get away from the past, lets focus on our strengths, a true automotive research center, the best place to live in America, the largest talent group of engineers in the world, etc..lets stop beating each other up, lets just kick some #$%. Be a Leader and an Example, we need positive thoughts to bring positive results. It works folks, I've seen and worked with companies who did just this over the past 5 years, and they are stronger and better for it.
Herb Helzer
5:19 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
So Jerry, let's say GM had been turned away. No government loans, no guidance through a managed, expedited bankruptcy. PRIVATE CAPITAL WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO THEM. What would the GM bankruptcy have looked like in your alternative reality?
By way of comparison, Delphi's unmanaged bankruptcy lasted more than five years, and they were less than a tenth of GM's size, with fewer creditors (GM being among the biggest, actually). Bond holders lost everything, the stock was delisted, the pension for retirees was defaulted to the government, some plants were closed, others were sold off piecemeal, still others did stay open...and employees were hit with drastic pay cuts (as low as $9-10 per hour). The company survived, but the cost was horrendous.
GM in 2009 wouldn't have been as fortunate as Delphi. Most analysts believe their only option would have been to liquidate. What of the suppliers then? What of the employees and retirees and bond holders then? Who'd buy a Chevrolet knowing the brand was owned by a Chinese firm that made the purchase thanks to subsidies from the government in Beijing? Wouldn't that be cruelly ironic?
The rest of your statement I can agree with. Michigan does have the talent, the engineering skills...many many positives. I will probably disagree with your choice of how we get there, but that's something for a different post.
Jo Nielson
4:35 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
From what I understand, Mitt is going to allow the free-market to work. Novel idea...
Jerry Grady
8:15 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
Herb. Just pointing out to the poster they went bankrupt. I have no opinion or political statement on my post, just pointing out it did happen. I would just like all of us to focus on moving forward with positive actions, not all this negative and beat down political agenda. (my candidate is better than yours stuff) but tis the season.
Dale Behler
9:51 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
When government gets involved in picking winners and losers such as corporate GM and Chrysler over stockholders, bondholders and suppliers or UAW retirees over non-union retirees at Delphi, it changes the whole dynamics of risk and reward decisions of our free market system. Normal prudent business decisions become confused and muddled resulting in an unpredictable economy as we have now. Investors do not want to get burned again because of the uncertainties brought on by government interference in the free market and concern that even the enforcement of legal and investment documents is questionable. So they do not invest. When the government is playing favorites with classes of workers such as preferring union workers over non-union employees in bankruptcy courts, it encourages a class warfare environment. It also means the government actively encouranges more employees to unionize to protect themselves from its own inequality and helps unions reverse their shrinking membership trend. I don't think that is the intended mission of government which is supposed to represent and protect all the people.
D P of Michigan
6:50 am on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Of all the Republican candidates, Mitt Romney will likely have the stamina and ability to beat Obama. Santorum is not a leader, instead he does a lot of whining. We already have a whiner in the White House. Ron Paul is not electable. Newt has already shot himself in the foot and taken himself out of contention. Romney has the where with all to get the economic job done. He doesn't have the Washington experience, but that is probably a plus for the country. Santorum loves earmarks. Enough said there.