Sour feelings about the current economy and the man will make President Barack Obama a one-term leader, according to influential conservatives across South Carolina who took part last week in Patch's Red Palmetto survey.
Nearly 80 percent of respondents (63 responded out of 100 in the survey pool) said they were either "very confident" (33.3 percent) or "somewhat confident" (46 percent) that Gov. Mitt Romney would defeat Obama in the general election. Less than one-fifth (19 percent) said they were "not too confident."
South Carolina conservatives are even more sure that the Palmetto State will remain "red" for the 2012 election. Nearly 90 percent said they were "very confident" South Carolina would go for Romney, and the final 11 percent said they were "somewhat confident."
The confidence in Romney's electability is high, despite the fact that Romney did not win the South Carolina primary, falling by double-digits to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and many conservatives have questioned Romney's conservative credentials.
But participants in the Red Palmetto survey were not worried about the GOP rallying troops behind Romney. Only 17.5 percent said they were "very concerned" or "somewhat concerned" about Romney's ability to get out the vote in early November.
The reason they're not concerned?
In an open-ended response to the question of what would drive SC voters to the poll on Romney's behalf in November, more than 55 percent said either "economy" or "jobs."
Nearly 27 percent, meanwhile, said getting Obama out of office.
The remaining 10 responses were split among Obamacare, the national debt, government intervention, Socialism and the fact that Romney's a Republican.
The Red Palmetto Survey
Our surveys are not a scientific random sample of any larger population but rather an effort to listen to a swath of influential local Republican activists, party leaders and elected officials in South Carolina. All of these individuals have agreed to participate in the surveys, although not all responded to this week's questions. Surveys were conducted between July 9 and June 13, 2012.
Patch will be conducting Red Palmetto and Blue Palmetto surveys throughout 2012 in hopes of determining the true sentiment of conservatives and liberals on the ground in South Carolina.If you are an activist, party leader or elected official and would like to take part in a weekly surveys that lasts just a few minutes, please email Regional Editor Chris Winston at chris.winston@patch.com.
Red Palmetto Roster: Aubry Alexander (Charleston City Council-District 9), Thomas Alexander (State Senator), Dean Allen (Tea Party Activist), Charm Altman (President Sea Island Republican Women), Todd Atwater (S.C. Rep. Dist. 87), Rep. Nathan Ballentine (SC House Dist. 71), Bill Banning, Sr. (Vice-chair, Lexington County Council), Bob Barnwell (Richland Co. GOP Spring Valley), Joseph Bates, Jr. (Committeeman/ Richland Co. GOP Dutch Fork), Gresham Barrett (Former U.S. Congressman, current consultant), Eric Bedingfield (State Rep/Congressional Staffer), Rick Beltram (Former Spartanburg GOP Chair), Lin Bennett (Chair, Charleston County GOP), Rich Bolen (Chair, Lexington County GOP), Andrew Boucher (Business consultant and political advisor), Phillip Bowers (Chairman, Pickens County Republican Party), Dan Bracken (President, The Auction Co. & Real Estate Inc.), Edward Britt (Engineer), Joe Bustos (Former town councilman), Jay Byars (Dorchester County councilman), Bob Call (Berkeley County Councilman), Tim Callanan (Berkeley County GOP Chairman), Earl Capps (Blogger), Ed Carter (Small business owner), Erica Christian (Chairwoman of Young Upstate Republicans) Ben Coakley (Investment adviser), Edward Cousar (Executive Director, Black Republican PAC), M. Todd Cullum (Lexington County Council member), Rep. Joe Daning (Statehouse rep.), Patrick Donlon (Chair, Northern District, Lexington County Republican County), Dana Eiser (Lowcountry 9.12 president), Linda Eiser (9/12 conservative), Scott Farmer (Richland County GOP Committeeman), Chip Felkel (Political Consultant), Will Folks (Editor, fitsnews.com; spokesman for former Gov. Mark Sanford), Leland Glen (Author), Chris Godbey (Political Consultant), Susan Grady (Republican activist), Randy Halfacre (Mayor of Lexington), Dan Hamilton (State Representative), Larry Hargett (Dorchester County Council chairman), Gaye Holt (4th District Director for the SC Federation of Republican Women), Kathy Hughes (President of Mt. Pleasant 912), Val Hutchinson (Richland County Council), Johnny Jeffcoat (Town of Lexington Economic and Community Catalyst; Lexington County Council member), Debbie Jones (9.12 Board Member), Joanne Jones (Republican activist), Grayson Kelly (Fundraiser), James Kinard (Banker, Chair, Lexington County Council), Todd Kincannon (Lawyer/former executive director of SC Republican Party), Bob Kouvolo (President/ MaxPt), Jim Lee (S.C. Senate candidate), Mickey Lindler (Chairwoman for Republicans of Lexington and Richland Counties), Chris Mann (City Councilman), Karen Martin (Organizer/Spartanburg Tea Party), Larry Martin (State Senator), Taft Matney (Conservative Political Consultant), James Metts (Lexington County Sheriff), Matt Moore (Executive Director for SC GOP), Susan Morris (Nonprofit executive director), Mike Murphee (Charleston Tea Party chairman), Deborah Myers (Political activist), Brent Nelsen (Professor of Political Science/former candidate for Supt. of Education), Don Nye (Bank employee), Allen Olson (Former Chairman of Columbia TEA Party), Walt Owens (University Professor), Randy Page (President,South Carolinians for Responsible Government), Gregory Pearce (Richland Co. Councilman), Kathy Perry (Charleston County Republican Women), Adam Piper (SC GOP 3rd Vice Chairman & political director for Huntsman campaign), Zach Pippin (GOP Media Consultant), Barbara Pulicicchio (Political activist), Rick Quinn (S.C. Rep. Dist. 69), Jeff Reuer (Vice Chair Goose Creek 9-12), DeLinda Ridings (SC GOP State Secretary/Huntsman campaign), Robby Robbins (Lawyer), Emily Rudolph (Sea Island Republican Women), LaDonna Ryggs (Spartanburg GOP Chair), Michael Sally (Hanahan City Councilman), Dennis Saylor (Chair, Aiken GOP), Lanneau Siegling (State Executive Committeeman), Billy Simons (Conservative activist), Garry Smith (State Rep), John Steinberger (Fair Tax activist), Alex Stroman (SCGOP Political Director), Shell Suber (VP for Public Affairs and Business Development at The Felkel Group, a political public relations company), Mary Ann Taylor (Charleston County Republican Women/Charleston County School Board), Hope Walker (Member Services Director, SCGOP), September Wellborn (State GOP Delegate), Jennifer Willis (County Councilwoman/ V.P. One Tree Hill), Henry Wilson (conservative political activist), Kerry Wood (Consultant, former SC Campaign manager for Rick Santorum) Cheryl Woods-Flowers (Former mayor, Republican official), James David Woodard (Professor of Political Science, Clemson University).
Some are ones that contributed to this so called ''mess'' our country is in now. If these are the best, then give me the rest.
I would like to hear what the 27% that said "getting Obama out of office" used for their justification. Admittedly I have a strange predilection to see racists out themselves and other racists.
To answer JoSCh's point, we are looking for people who aren't elected officials or mouthpieces for particular parties, but still people who are engaged and educated on the topics of the day. In a state where 22 percent (estimated) participated in recent primaries, that's not "Everyday Joes." These are people who have some skin in the game, so to speak. As far as who will win in November, of course Republicans think Romney will win, just as we will learn next Monday that Democrats believe Obama will win. But the point is how confident they are of it. And what they think the most-important issues are driving their like-minded folks to the polls. That is what we were trying to get at. Did we succeed? Obviously not, since there are so many questions. But that's what we were aiming for. Thanks so much for the great comments.
ditto debate in the US house...they would save time to just vote...no positions change as a result of the debates... sigh...