Poll: Ron Paul best GOP candidate against Obama in Iowa in November 2012. [View All]

[Hart2008]

Almost in rebuttal to Trump's contemptuous insult that Ron Paul is "a joke" as a candidate, a recent NBC/Marist poll suggests Paul could be Obama's toughest opponent:

With less than a month before the Iowa caucus, GOP presidential candidate and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has surged into the lead, but Texas Rep. Ron Paul is the only Republican candidate who could best President Obama, a new Iowa poll says.

According to the latest NBC/Marist poll, Gingrich is the first choice among 26 percent of Republican caucus-goers, followed by former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney with 18 percent and Paul with 17 percent.

...

However, the poll also says Paul is the candidate best suited to face Obama in an election.

Against Paul, 42 percent of registered voters in Iowa support Obama and the same number — 43 percent — support Paul. Paul’s popularity among independents could be a crucial advantage. Paul leads Obama 42 percent to 35 percent among independent voters, according to the poll, and he also attracts 15% of Iowa’s Democrats. Not to mention that 16 percent of voters were undecided.

Against the rest of the field, Obama wins a hypothetical race handily.

http://news.yahoo.com/gingrich-leads-paul-most-likely-beat-obama-latest-181751047.html

I would like to see similar polling for other key states, but in Iowa anyhow, this poll tells me that voters want real change. That is they want an end to the endless military occupations, bank bailouts and free trade deals. They don't want to return to another Bush type Repuke, but they aren't really happy with what Mr. Obama has delivered.

Those who disagree with my assessment need to explain why 15% of Iowa Democrats now favor Mr. Paul, and why he is leading there among the independents who will decide this election.