Donald Trump gets his comeuppance, and Newt Gingrich: Anti-Romney. This may be my favorite GOP primary poll ever.
It was just two weeks ago that, through tears of both sadness and hilarity, I typed the following about Donald Trump:
He's important because Republican primary voters are saying he's important. When they stop saying so, he'll go away, but until then, like it or not, he's a political figure, and is being treated as such.
Little could I have known that our most nefarious president ever was plotting Donald Trump's downfall. Between releasing his long-form birth certificate and rudely pushing more sober foreign affairs back into the forefront, let's just say that it hasn't been the best of fortnights for the Donald.
(Plus, what's with the constant squinting and puckering? Either he's turning into Renee Zellweger or Renee Zellweger is turning into Donald Trump. I'll let you decide.)
Lay it on me, PPP:
Donald Trump has had one of the quickest rises and falls in the history of Presidential politics. Last month we found him leading the Republican field with 26%. In the space of just four weeks he's dropped all the way down to 8%, putting him in a tie for fifth place with Ron Paul.
Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney are at the top of the GOP race with 19% and 18% respectively. Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin are further back at 13% and 12%, followed by Trump and Paul at 8%, Michele Bachmann at 7%, and Tim Pawlenty at 5%.
As Trump got more and more exposure over the last month Republicans didn't just decide they weren't interested in having him as their nominee- they also decided they flat don't like him. Only 34% of GOP voters now have a favorable opinion of Trump to 53% who view him in a negative light.
I'm of two minds. The rational, upright-walking American in me is glad we can move on from the distraction. The guy who likes making jokes about politics is a very sad panda, because unless Trump can find some way to make inroads other than the birther issue (and simultaneously shrink the majority of the GOP that finds him unpalatable), he's almost certain not to run for president.
That being said, it bears mentioning that the PPP did a couple of permutations without some candidates in the field. Without Trump:
Romney 21%
Huckabee 20%
Gingrich 15%
Palin 14%
Paul 8%
Bachmann 7%
Pawlenty 6%
Without Trump OR Huckabee:
Romney 24%
Gingrich 20%
Palin 17%
Paul 12%
Bachmann 8%
Pawlenty 8%
You see what's going to happen when they take out Palin too, don't you?
Romney 28%
Gingrich 26%
Paul 12%
Bachmann 11%
Pawlenty 9%
Don't forget... as it stands now, this may be the most likely field. Newt Gingrich... the anti-Romney. You heard it here first.
So yes, a heartfelt thanks to all my Republican friends for no longer saying "Donald Trump" to a pollster. It was fun while it lasted, but maybe now you can get about the business of nominating Newt Gingrich for President and handing us another four years. Good night, and god bless us, every one.