Psst, Have You Heard? Santorum Is Beating Obama.

By Mary Claire Kendall

While the national media is focusing in typical pack-like fashion on the Washington Post-ABC News poll giving President Barack Obama higher marks for the moment, it has totally overlooked the fact that Rick Santorum, for the first time, is leading Obama nationally, per below.

Poll	Date	Sample	Obama (D)	Santorum (R)		Spread
RCP Average
Rasmussen Reports   2/2-3		1000 LV	44	45		Santorum +1

I don’t know what this uncommented-upon Santorum lead, which splashed all over a Real Clear Politics page on Saturday, February 4, means; but it’s significant. “LV” (“Likely Voter”) polls are the best barometer, making it even more significant. Washington Post/ABC News polled a “random national sample” of 1000 adults.

Additionally, Santorum is leading in Minnesota, holding its caucuses tomorrow, Tuesday, February 7, over all the other Republicans—in spite of former Governor Tim Pawlenty’s endorsement of former Governor Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination.

These polls could just turn out to be a momentary spot of good news for both Obama and Santorum—as has often been the case in this politically volatile year; or they may signal a trend.  Time will tell.

But, I suspect as long as Newt Gingrich and his conservative allies (or those trying to keep 2016 open for themselves) keep throwing stink bombs at Romney—calling him a liar and worse, thereby finishing the job Democrats began last year with their incessant anti-Romney ads—Romney’s numbers will continue to languish and erode.  

And, as these polls suggest, the beneficiary is not going to be Gingrich but Santorum.

Democrats may live to regret their strategy to take out Romney, if, indeed, it works—a big if.  But, following the logic, if Romney is hobbled, Santorum may well prove a more formidable contender than Democrats and Republicans with mix-motives had bargained for.

Then, again, Santorum’s vulnerabilities could prove catastrophic.  For those Republicans not willing to wait and find out, they better hope and pray Sheldon Adelson considers pulling the plug on Gingrich sooner rather than later, lest Republican chances of winning back the White House totally implode.