Could it Be Palin Fatigue?

 By Jason Easley

A nationwide poll of Republican voters was released by the Clarus Research Group, and it contained some bad news for Sarah Palin. While the race for the 2012 nomination remains wide open, support for Sarah Palin has declined 33% in a year. Mitt Romney leads the field followed by Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, and Palin.

Early leader Mitt Romney has seen his support drop four points from 30% one year ago to a current 26%. Second place finisher Mike Huckabee has remained steady as his support has gone from 22% one year ago to 21% today. Newt Gingrich has seen his support increase by one point from 14% one year ago to 15% today, but the one Republican who has seen their support erode is Sarah Palin, who has seen her support slide from 18% one year ago to 12% today.

Ron Faucheux, the president of Clarus pointed out, “Palin gets more attention from the national media than presidential support from Republicans. The major change since March is that Gingrich has now edged out Palin for third place, even though the two are running well within the statistical margin of error.” The interesting thing is that despite her abysmal overall approval ratings, Palin has remained wildly popular with Republicans. According to a July Gallup poll, she enjoys a 76% approval rating among Republicans.

Updated- Palin's Recurring Nightmare

Palin is personally more popular than Romney, Huckabee, or Gingrich, so why is she losing support? There are several possible explanations. The first explanation could be that even some Republicans know that Palin and her erratic reality television star behavior are not qualified to be president. As much as they like her, some could easily view her as not presidential material, or more importantly, not capable of defeating Obama.

A second possibility is Palin fatigue. Since she resigned as a half-term governor, the woman simply has not gone away. While Mitt Romney has been quietly organizing for 2012, Sarah has been selling books, hanging out on Fox News, filming reality shows, engaging in media feuds, and pockets wads of cash for speeches. It could be that some her fellow Republicans are tired of Sarah. This is why avoiding the media spotlight, as Mitt Romney is doing, can be very helpful. It is hard to relaunch a previously unsuccessful candidate if they never go away.

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Comments

[edogawa_ranpo]

Why does anyone like her at all? She has no redeeming qualities. The more we see of her (and she's hard to avoid) the more obvious it becomes how ignorant, spiteful, and petty she is. Some people have predicted that she'll go down in flames but I think her popularity will just peter out. She's made enough money to live on for the rest of her life if she's reasonably careful. Since you know her personally, Syrin, do you have any insight into what makes her tick, or the secret of her appeal to a small but rabid group of Palinbots?

[sjohnson]

Sarah is a waste of skin.

[CynthiaK]

In answer to the question:  I truly hope so.  If Ms. Palin were to run, the presidential election process would be reduced to a circus.  Figuratively speaking, she has already managed to build the peanut gallery.

"Abuse of words has been the great instrument of sophistry and chicanery, of party, faction, and division of society."

John Adams

[Syrin from Wasilla]

Great quote!
instrument of sophistry and chicanery
.Thanks CynthiaK

[CynthiaK]

You're welcome, Syrin.    As we know, Adams is one of Sarah's favorite Founding Fathers, i.e., "all of them."  

[Syrin from Wasilla]

Only insight I have is to be able to speak to her hypocrisy and lack of real conservative family values. I felt that she's mentally ill to be perfectly honest. It's possibly bipolar and definatly somekind of personality disorder. Some say she's on the verge of an implosion!! I've ask these same question and made the same observation! But, it was years ago, a decade in fact... Why does anyone like her at all? She has no redeeming qualities. Talk about how obvious it has become.. Palin has always been ignorant, spiteful, and petty.. But look where she is now! The lack of scruples still do not seem to matter to these people who say they are Christian, Conservative, God fearing, church going and constitution readering. Who are these people? I think these groups are mis representing themselves and their leaders afre proof...

[sjohnson]

They are definitely misrepresenting themselves as Christians.  What a hateful person she is.  I totally agree about her most likely being mentally ill.