Sarah Palin's Popularity Enhances Her Influence in GOP Politics

By Mark Whittington | Yahoo! Contributor Network3 hrs ago

COMMENTARY | A Public Policy Polling poll that examined the four remaining presidential candidates has uncovered a fascinating data point about a private citizen who is not a candidate. Sarah Palin is more popular than the four candidates.

The poll was taken of 734 likely Republican Primary voters March 15-17. It found Mitt Romney led narrowly in preference for presidential nominee, with Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul following, according to the State Column.

The surprise came when the poll revealed Palin is regarded favorably by 68 percent of Republican voters with only 20 percent regarding her unfavorably. By contrast, Romney is regarded favorably by 54 percent and unfavorably by 35 percent.

There is an explanation for this curious poll result.

One is the four candidates have been engaged in a battle for the Republican nomination, which has featured negative advertising and vicious attacks on one another. The prestige and popularity of all four candidates has suffered as a result.

By contrast, Palin has had the good fortune to be smeared by the right people, meaning people Republican voters cannot abide. From the cartoonish caricature of her in an HBO mov! ie, "Gam e Change" to being the subject of obscene jibes by Bill Maher, Palin has garnered sympathy, at least among Republicans, as a woman done wrong. There is nothing like bearing the hate of the hate filled with dignity and courage to add to ones popularity.

Moreover, because of her political positions, Palin is regarded far more favorably among the Republican base than Romney, who is still under suspicion of being a moderate while governor of Massachusetts. This means the wishful what-if that burns in the imagination of Palin fans of an alternate history in which she and not the man from Massachusetts is the candidate headed for the nomination and, perhaps, the presidency flares even brighter.

Palin's undoubted status as most powerful female politician on the planet is not dependent on an office she might hold. Romney would be well advised to keep that in mind as he wraps up the nomination and prepared for the fall campaign.

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