Some think she should; some think she shouldn’t. At least a couple political analysts, including former White House political adviser Karl Rove, think Sarah Palin will announce her candidacy (or intentions of not running) either during or following her tea party address in Iowa. And some think she will not run at all, like Rep. Steve King of Iowa. As for the former Alaska governor? She still maintains a cheerful, maybe-maybe not attitude about running for president. But if polls are helping her decision, the latest from Fox News just might push her to consider simply endorsing someone and leaving it at that.
Simply put, a majority of Americans, including a majority of Republicans, Independents, and tea party members, do not want the former Alaska governor to run at all.
According the poll, 74 percent of the respondents said they do not believe that Palin should even run for president. Among the poll’s Republicans, the number that said she should not run was 71 percent. Of the Independent participants in the survey, 66 percent also said they do not want Palin to enter the race. Even among the tea party, where Palin support is strongest, she still only managed 28 percent support (with 66 saying she should sit this one out).
Interestingly, the Fox News poll indicated that age had little or nothing to do with the overall numbers. Those that did not think Palin should enter the race posted in the low to mid-70 percent range across all age groups.
Considered by some as a political extremist, the poll also addressed the question and found that 12 percent of respondents found Palin too extreme. More Democrats and Independents saw the former governor as such, of course, but 9 percent of Republicans and 8 percent of tea party supporters found her too extreme as well. Tea party backers, often considered more extra than the average Republican voter, found Rep. Bachmann and Texas congressman Ron Paul both more extreme than the ex-governor.
Still, the relatively low numbers of respondents that find the “death panel” politician too extreme does not account for the enormously large percentage of those populations that do not want her to run for president. Other reasons must apply. Unfortunately, the survey did not address reasons behind the sentiment.
As for the overall 2012 GOP field, Texas Gov. Rick Perry took the lead in the first Fox News Poll conducted since he announced his candidacy (Aug. 13). Perry posted a 26 percent to former frontrunner Mitt Romney’s 18 percent. In the context of preference, Palin placed a distant third with 8 percent.
If Palin was not to be considered by respondents, Perry’s lead actually shrinks by a percentage point, 29 percent to 22 percent.
The Fox News poll follows a Pew Research Center survey that found that 67 percent of respondents, when asked if there was a chance they would vote for various GOP contenders, said there was “None” when it came to Sarah Palin.
What remains to be seen is whether or not the candidate who claims she is a maverick and a bit unorthodox in her methods will fly in the face of such poll numbers and run for president anyway.
Palin is scheduled to address a tea party rally September 3. She then has plans to attend a Tea Party Express event in New Hampshire. She has previously noted that she will announce definitively by the end of September whether or not she will run for the 2012 GOP nomination.