At this point in his lengthy political career, Mitt Romney has had quite a while to introduce himself to the American public. He is, after all, in the midst of his second presidential campaign, and has been on the trail pretty much non-stop for nearly six years.
Indeed, Romney is poised to win the Republican presidential nomination, which has kept him the national spotlight consistently for the last year. And yet, after getting a good long look at the former governor, a striking number of Americans just don't seem to like him.
Mitt Romney trails Barack Obama by 19 points in basic popularity as the 2012 presidential contest inches closer to the main event, with a record 50 percent of Americans in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll now rating Romney unfavorably overall.
Thirty-four percent hold a favorable opinion of Romney, the lowest for any leading presidential candidate in ABC/Post polls in primary seasons since 1984.
That last point is of particular interest. It's tempting to think every major-party frontrunner emerges from a primary process with weakened favorability numbers -- intra-party contests are often bruising -- but that's just not the case. Four years ago, Obama became better liked as voters got to know him, but this year, Romney isn't just disliked, he's also more disliked at this point in the process than any candidate in nearly three decades.
Here's a chart I put together showing Obama's and Romney's favorability ratings overall and among Democrats, Republicans, independents, and self-identified moderates.
The fact that most Dems like Obama and most Republicans like Romney isn't at all surprising -- though Romney's support in the GOP looks rather soft, especially compared to the president's standing in his party -- but note that Obama is easily better liked among Americans in general, as well as indies and moderates.
Remember, this is just about favorability -- it has nothing to do with whether Americans agree with the candidates or like their ideas/policies, and everything to do with the whether voters have a favorable impression of these guys or not.
These figures may well change in the coming months, as more Republicans settle on Romney, the former governor shakes the Etch A Sketch to curry favor with the mainstream, and Republicans launch a well-financed crusade to destroy the president. But with roughly seven months to go until Election Day, the likely GOP nominee has a problem that's hard to fix: the more folks see him, the less folks like him. It's not a new concern, either.
Since disliked candidates usually lose, this should cause some discomfort in Republican circles.
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I expect that to be true, but it will also depend upon how the well-financed crusade approaches destruction. If they focus too much on the negative without touting anything positive about Romney, his favorability ratings won't improve much or for long. Debates between the two should also bolster/reinforce Obama's edge over Romney.
Obama will crush him in debate. Crush.
You wanna bet? Ten thousand! Right now! :)
Don't get too cocky - I remember a lot of people being certain that Ronald Reagan couldn't possibly win!
all electoral projection charts show atleast 300 votes for Pres. Obama.. FRAUDney is TOAST!
We're Just Not That Into You, Mitt.
Polls are little more than opinions. Obama has disappointed us So many times, and often given us cause to distrust him: for example, his recent comments which Obama thought were spoken in confidence to the Russia leader that Obama would be more flexible After the election. Obama may not fair as well in November as you suppose. When we move beyond the primary bickering into the general election and people get to know Romney he will rise in public opinion. November will be a close race for which ever of them wins.
To know Romney is to distrust him... The more you get to know him the more you never want to hear about him again.
*Polls are little more than opinions.* They're TOTALLY opinions. Opinions decide how we vote. President Obama hasn't disappointed me;there have been things I think he could have done better, but just THINK what it'd be like with King Mitt as president - the guy who doesn't care about the poor, who thinks corporations are people, and who totally lies about 80% of the time. Ugh.
I totally believe that those who are disappointed with Obama had some sort of pie-in-the-sky expectations that the country was going to turn on a dime the second he took office. No one can effect that sort of change. But positive change we have certainly had; it just takes a long time. And no politician can be considered to be completely honest, being that people's definitions of "lying" differ widely.
Do you honestly think the open mic incident with Obama was accidental ? Not me. In my opinion it was planned. It was Obama letting the rest of the world know he's not going anywhere. Also encouraging his uber lefty friends. He still owes them from 2008. I think he plans to deliver in the 2nd term.
Here's the thing .... if we leave congress just how it is now, he could have 3 or 4 terms and it wouldn't matter. Nothing will get done. Congress is the problem. Not the whitehouse.
he is too phoney,like his attemts in the south,when he was making fun of the grits,heck Ive never heard of cheezie grits they are cheeze grits!
He seems to try to hard and comes off looking phony. Like that stupid joke of his "I'm unemployed, too. hyuck hyuck" Sounds like he's saying "I'm so rich, I don't have to work like you losers do."
In this case, the polls might overstate the extent to which Romney is perceived positively.
When surveyed, people will almost always say they don't dislike the rich. In fact, they'll say they admire them. It doesn't seem quite right to admit openly to anything else.
However, in the privacy of their own homes ... or the voting booth ... people tend to reveal their true feelings.
Over the past- pick a number-of presidential elections, both parties have had a group of legitimate candidates from which to choose. Men and women who have achieved some stature as public servants, over a lifetime in politics. Steve Jobs and Ralph Nader not withstanding.
This time, however, the Republicans that could be considered "serious" are wise enough to wait until 2016.
You don't have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.
Unless something really bad happens beyond Obama's control Romney is toast. To me the real question is can the Democratic party take advanage of the coming Republican collapse.
We can dream can't we?
But the Faithful know, bone deep, that Obama isn't just disliked but actively loathed more than any President in history. After all, he is by far the worst President that the country has ever had.
And this is not just isolated opinions, it's the universal belief of everyone they know.
The Faithful don't get out that much and Fox News doesn't tell them the truth very often. I know people who actually think Obama is deeply disliked by most Americans because that is what the people on Fox and Friends tell them.
Sorry but you're obviously surrounding yourself with the mindless Tea Bag crowd. Bush was FAR MORE Disliked, even by his own party!
Republicans have actively loathed every Democratic president since Kennedy. That's not news. But to expand that into, "[Obama] is by far the worst president this country has ever had," is hyperbole beyond belief. If you want to step into the fray, D.C., you have to at least take a stab at some factual information.
Carlo ... As I read D. C.'s post, that statement about Obama being "the worst president the country has ever had" isn't his belief. He's saying that those in the Republican base--who watch Fox News and don't travel outside their own philosophical circles--believe this. He's right about that. They believe it with every fiber of their uninformed being.
Thank you, mpguy
Bush was not nearly as disliked by his party going into the election. A huge strength for Bush was that primary voters found him "likable." i.e. they could picture having a barbecue with him, living next door, sitting on a plane next to him and those scenarios didn't seem unpleasant.
Show me one independent voter who jumps at the chance to hang out with Romney, just for fun.
D.C. Sessions - Your comment just cements the perception that people like you and people like me live in two separate Americas. Actually, more like two separate realities.
Funny thing is, at the end of the day, Obama has been pretty much a center-right president. Despite perceptions and rhetoric, his actions have been pretty solidly hawkish and capitalist. We on the left are disappointed in him for these failures and compromises, but we support him in light of the alternatives, and we cut him slack because of the trainwreck left by the cretin war criminal before him.
Barack Obama, as a president, is to the right of Dwight D. Eisenhower. Conservatives who loathe him, loathe him for one reason and one reason only. Racism. You people should be ashamed of yourselves.
@ D.C. Sessions - whoops! on second reading, i see you're just quoting these fools. Sorry. Guess I'm a little knee-jerky today!
Poe's Law in action.
no sir that is the relentless attacks on him and his character,by the gongress of this united country and the tea baggers who are tied to the gentiles of the rich and greedy!
As the old saying goes: From your mouth to God's ears.
Ah, wait till voters learn how much he really loves cars, enough to have an elevator in his new garage....
Mitt is out of touch & I'm looking forward to when he's out of politics!
I believe Obama is GENUINELY liked by those who like him; there's no hemming and hawing around. But Mitt is BARELY liked by anyone except those who make over $200K - and THAT may be because they think he won't raise their taxes. Remember that when the general election comes, there are far fewer who make $200K voting and his safety net may break underneath him.
If you are a progressive and feel Obama has let us down, you need to read "Showdown: The Inside Story of How Obama Fought Back Against Boehner, Cantor, and the Tea Party by David Corn" A refreshing look at the Obama presidency.
Well whats to like , this man dosent give people any reason to like him ,he's not about doing anything for America , he's all about takeing away from American taxpayers , very badly needed health care that has gotten so expensive only the very wealthy can afford it , some people have medical ins. thru their employer or they would not be able to afford it . He says social security is welfare and should be stopped , social security and medicare cost $ 70 billion per year and the military $400 billion per year. he wont talk about cutting the military . And he's partial to Mormans , if elected you would see that in a big way and then it would be to late to do anything about it .
I don't like Romney even a little bit. But the Mormon thing ??
Meh .. c'mon ! Repubs said the same thing about Obama and black folk. In fact, they STILL say it ! It's laughable. The only people Romney favors are people who are going to help him fatten his wallet and gain power..
What do you expect? When you type in "Thurston Howell" in the Google search box, Thurston Howell Mitt Romney is in the top five results?
I'd have thought it was Rex Morgan M.D. :)
I really fear for our country if someone as insensitive and out of touch with reality as Mitt Romney gets elected President of the United States. He has such a "Mad Man" mentality and I just don't believe the women of this country are going to allow a neanderthal to return us to yesteryear. I pray every day that we won't be subjected to having to re-fight for what we already have earned.
I was thinking of Romney as I watched the documentary "I Am Fishead": http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/i-am-fishead-are-corporate-leaders-psychopaths/ No conclusions. Just food for thought.
What do you expect? When you type "Thurston Howell" into a Google search box, "Thurston Howell Mitt Romney" is in the top five results.
Seamus on Rmoney
Excellent post, and great graph. You may enjoy enhancing the graph even more by following the best practice of removing the gridlines to maximize the data-ink ratio.
Sorry, graph nerd here, can't help meself. Gridlines distract from the message :)
In Excel, click on one of the middle gridlines, hit delete, voila!
He looks phony because he IS phony !
I think Romney is in trouble. First of all, I was surprised at the Virginia result. Romney won 60% to 40% but that was against Ron Paul. RON PAUL! I happen to be a Ron Paul fan but that he could win 40% of the Republican primary vote in any state seems like a lot. The only explanation is dissatisfaction with Romney. Secondly, http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/PPP_Release_US_032212.pdf this poll indicates that when the libertarian candidate Gary Johnson is included Obama's lead increases. I thought Johnson would take votes from Obama because on a lot of social issues he is liberal. Libertarians will be on the ballot in all 50 state and is a factor. Lastly based on the libertarian effect I am guessing America elects will also take more votes from Romney than Obama. I looks to me like there will be four name on the ballot in all 50 states and it is going to hurt Romney. On the other hand I do think if the supreme court rules Obamacare and unconstitutional it will be devastating to his re-election
to know Willard is to dislike him.
I am reminded of the song from the musical 1776 where John Adams sings that he is obnoxious and disliked, not that Romney is a John Adams. At least Adams seemed to be aware of what his colleagues and the public thought of him. This guy seems oblivious.
So, "disliked candidates usually lose"? Two Words: "Richard Nixon"
Pres. Obama has enough popularity to take this in an electoral battle.. he will get at least 280 votes.. possibly as many as 320 if he wins VA,PA, OH, and FL!
Nixon wasn't disliked as much as you think by the time he was elected president.
Actually, Obama is on track to break 340 according to the most recent state polls.
Romney doesnt care what he says or disliked. The Republicans will steal this election just like Bush/Gore.