Giuliani's hopes fall in South Carolina

[brooklynite]

Source: Boston Globe

Rudy Giuliani is spending more time and money in New Hampshire, and it's looking more and more like the Granite State is his best shot for a win, or at least a close second, in the states that vote first in the Republican presidential sweepstakes.

A new Clemson University poll suggests that Giuliani's support has dropped precipitously in South Carolina, where Republicans vote Jan. 19. He is now in fifth with just 9 percent, behind Mitt Romney with 17 percent, Fred Thompson with 15 percent, Mike Huckabee with 13 percent, and John McCain with 11 percent.

Giuliani is also well behind in Iowa, where Republicans caucus on Jan. 3. But he is competitive in New Hampshire, which votes Jan. 8. He toured the state by bus over the weekend, repeatedly attacking Romney along the way, and is airing TV ads.

The former New York mayor's unorthodox strategy -- the vast majority of GOP nominees have won Iowa, New Hampshire, or both -- hinges on Florida, which votes Jan. 29. A new CNN poll there shows Giuliani well ahead with 38 percent, compared to 17 percent for Romney, 11 percent each for McCain and Thompson, and 9 percent for Huckabee.

Giuliani is counting on a big win in Florida as a springboard to more wins on Feb. 5, when at least 22 states will vote, including several delegate-rich states where Giuliani is doing well in the polls.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/11/giulianis_hopes.html

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I realize that Rudy's strategy is to ride out the early races and clean up on Super Tuesday, but the media's fixation on "winners" and "losers" makes this very risky. He could find more marginal supporters drifting away to a more successful candidate, and even if he holds on through February, he'll be competitive by the grace of "moderate" state Republicans, while Romney or Huckabee point to their success in "true Red" states.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. It seems that the more they know about Ghouliani, the less they care for him.

[customerserviceguy]

4. I was in South Carolina a couple of weeks ago

didn't see any Giuliani, Thompson or McCain stickers or signs, but I did see a Kucinich bumper sticker!

[BrklynLiberal]

5. That is something to smile about...

[sweetpotato]

7. I live in SC

I see Mitt Romney bumper stickers and yard signs daily. I see McCain as well - mostly the college frat boys like McCain around here.

Have not seen any for Guiliani. I think its because his name "sounds too ethnic" for most of my southern brethren.

I see Hillary and Kucinich bumper stickers when the Unitarian church is having a function - its down the street from my home. I have seen an Obama bumper sticker in town.

I have a John Edwards sticker on my car.

[Alexander]

2. Both New Yorkers have support a mile wide and an inch deep.

Neither Giuliani nor Clinton will get the nomination.

The bases of their respective parties find them both to be unacceptable.

[Cha]

11. It'd be nice

if you were right..cause they are who the corporatewhores want, bad.

[Dulcinea]

3. No surprise there.

I'd be surprised if Rudy won a single Southern state, except maybe Florida. His support for gun control alone will bury him.

[gratuitous]

6. Giuliani's strategy is looking more and more suspect

You're right; if Giuliani acquires the stink of a loser because of Iowa or South Carolina, Super Duper Tuesday isn't going to mean diddly-squat for him.

[robbedvoter]

8. Now we'll get to see what having Murdoch owing you something can do for you

It should be interesting.

[ThePowerofWill]

9. Rudy will fly like a lead balloon in the South.

No conservative Southerner will ever vote foe "a cross dressing, gun grabbing, yankee lawyer." (not my words, just an attempted illustration at how the Southern base would see him)

Does not mean more votes for Dem's, maybe a few. I suspect most would just stay home, or not vote for the Presidency.

[yellowcanine]

10. The Ghoulmeister peaked too early methinks. Too bad. I think he might have been one of the easier

ones to beat in the general election as people came to appreciate his meanness and his record of rank cronyism as NYC mayor.