GOP Presidential Contenders in a Nutshell

From The Economist.

John Sununu is On a Drug, It’s Called John Sununu

Former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu reminds Republican Chair Jack Kimball that he’s still the top dog in the Granite State GOP. In an interview with Erin McPike, he handicaps the Republican presidential primary field, dismissing Gingrich and Huntsman along the way.

On Mitt Romney:

“It is so important to beat Obama in 2012 that the toughest thing any candidate will have to do is convince people they can win the primary and win the general. If Mitt Romney can develop a narrative that makes that clear, he will be the nominee.”

On Mitch Daniels:

“Mitch could be a real player. He’s a good governor. He can talk from a track record. This is a state that understands the difference between real track records and people who just talk. I think Mitch has six weeks to decide, but I don’t think he’s going to run.”

On Haley Barbour:

“Haley’s a great governor, great politician, hardworking candidate who loves to campaign, but I’m not sure he has the burning desire to be president. He comes from an area that is so solidly Republican, that he doesn’t add anything to a Republican candidacy in a general election.”

On Newt Gingrich:

“I think Gingrich forgets the impact of him sitting on the couch with Nancy Pelosi talking about justifying a carbon tax. There’s no way he’s going to win a Republican primary with that hanging around his neck, and he’s going to learn that pretty quickly.”

On John Huntsman:

“Huntsman won’t play well here. Huntsman won’t play well anywhere, because Huntsman’s only barely a Republican. Huntsman’s too liberal, comes with the tarnish of having accepted the appointment from Obama. He’s never said anything really conservative in his life. How’s he going to win in a conservative primary? He can’t. Huntsman is, in my opinion, a non-player.”

NH Primary Poll: Mitt Romney & the Seven Dwarfs

Public Policy Polling confirms Mitt Romney has a big head start in the early jockeying for position in the 2012 New Hampshire Primary. Romney leads the field among GOP primary voters with 40% support. Mike Huckabee (13%), Newt Gingrich (10%) and Sarah Palin (10%) are in the middle of the pack. Tim Pawlenty (4%), Mike Pence (3%), Mitch Daniels (1%) and John Thune (1%) bring up the rear.

What does it mean? Not much.

PPP surveyed 1,308 likely 2010 New Hampshire voters, including 582 typical Republican primary voters, October 27 - 29, for a +/- 2.7% margin of error for the entire sample, and +/- 4.1% for the GOP primary sample.