Bernard Whitman on CNN Early Start 1.19.12

Bernard Whitman, political strategist and pollster, argues that inaccurate voting totals in Iowa could affect the Republican primaries. Miscounted votes in Iowa may seem insignificant to the GOP primaries right now. However, if Newt Gingrich can get close to, or overtake Mitt Romney in South Carolina and Rick Santorum actually beat Romney in Iowa that can shake things up in Florida. Currently Romney has a huge lead in Florida, 43 to 19 percent, but if this happens there might be a completely new race in the GOP primaries.

Romney wants to delay revealing his tax returns until he has sealed the GOP nomination and the last thing he can afford is another surprise and shift the momentum. Newt Gingrich is within 4 points of Mitt Romney, but there is a huge gender gap. Gingrich is 18 points behind Romney among women; women do not see him as an appealing figure. That is why it is no wonder Romney wants to delay the results of his tax returns.

Mitt Romney's biggest nightmare is that the Iowa Caucus is unresolved. Now he finds out he didn't win Iowa, he won New Hampshire, he may not win South Carolina. This takes the wind out his sails heading into Florida. As a result, even though Mitt Romney most likely will win the GOP nomination the primaries should drag on for several months and that's good news for Democrats. Romney's 24 point lead in Florida will most likely collapse and questions about his candidacy continue to linger. Democrats can sit back and watch Republicans fight and then try to come together in the summer and fall.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Bernard Whitman
• Democrat
• strategist
• pollster
• Mitt Romney
• Newt Gingrich
• Rick Santorum
• CNN
• inaccurate
• primary
• Iowa
• Florida
• South Carolina
• GOP
• Republican
• tax returns
• women
• Iowa Caucus
• New Hampshire

[stable12]

Burn in hell!