Palin’s popularity plummets to all time low even among Republican voters, finds poll

WASHINGTON - Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will struggle in crucial states if she chooses to run for the 2012 presidential elections, with a latest WMUR Granite State Poll saying that 50 percent of likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire view her unfavourably.

Politico quoted the new poll of New Hampshire voters as saying that only 33 percent view Palin favourably.

The poll also found Palin lagging far behind Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney, and the little-known former Minnesota Govorner Tim Pawlenty.

“If Palin wants to win here, and she’ll have to get the nomination, she’ll have to focus completely on fiscal issues. And there’s no reason to think that would be enough - as the only ‘Republican’ less popular than her is the Donald,” University of New Hampshire pollster Andrew Smith, who conducted the Granite State poll, said.

Palin’s ratings are also low in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, the three states that play a key role in shaping the presidential contest.

In all three states, Republican operatives and political pollsters repeated one word: Serious because Palin is not viewed as a serious candidate in these states.

“These states take their responsibilities about picking out the nominee seriously. There’s a real concern about investing somebody with that office who they don’t feel has the gravitas,” J. David Woodard, a Republican pollster and professor of political science at South Carolina’s Clemson University, said.

Last year, Selzer’s survey had found that a full 39 percent of Lowa GOP primary voters viewed Palin unfavourably, while 58 percent had found her favourable. (ANI)