Two-Thirds of Republicans Still Support Sarah Palin

According to a new USA Today/Gallup Poll, that old adage "quitters never win" may be, relatively speaking, a bit outdated. Sarah Palin's recent announcement that she is stepping down as the governor of Alaska has actually bolstered her appeal among Republicans. While that may portend good things should Palin decide to join the fray in the 2012 Republican primaries, a further look at the numbers shows big trouble should she prevail and become the party's nominee:

Two-thirds of Republicans want Palin, the party's vice presidential nominee in 2008, to be "a major national political figure" in the future. Three-fourths of Democrats hope she won't be. Independents, by 55 percent-34 percent, prefer she leave the national stage.

Considering those latter two categories, it's hard to see how Palin has any chance in 2012. As for movement in the numbers in the wake of Palin's lakeside bombshell:

Seven in 10 polled say their views weren't affected by her decision. Among those whose opinions shifted, Democrats by a 4-to-1 ratio and independents by 2-to-1 view her less favorably. Republicans are somewhat inclined to see her more favorably.

Gallup also tracks party affiliation, and its most recent findings show that just 29 percent of Americans now identify themselves as Republicans, compared to 32 percent as Democrats and 37 percent as independents. Though those numbers ebb and flow somewhat over time, the perception of Sarah Palin among Democrats and independents does not seem to be going in the right direction for a Palin run. As the numbers stand, her presidential aspirations seem less than realistic. But, hey, things change. Maybe Palin will surprise the country and rewrite that old saying after all.


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