POST-DEBATE POLL – AT 6:34 P.M. ET:  A new CNN poll, taken after the Republican debate last week, shows Perry still in the lead, despite a poor performance.  But it also shows Romney as the more electable candidate: 

Washington (CNN) - Despite his performances in the two most recent Republican presidential debates, a new national survey indicates that Texas Gov. Rick Perry remains on top of the field in the race for the GOP nomination.

But a CNN/ORC International Poll also indicates that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney does better than Perry in hypothetical 2012 general election matchups against President Barack Obama and matches evenly with the president on the issues and on personal characteristics.

According to the survey, which was released Monday, 28 percent of Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP say they support Perry as their party's presidential nominee, with Romney at 21 percent.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is at ten percent, with Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who's making his third bid for the White House, former Godfather's Pizza CEO and radio talk show host Herman Cain, and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, all at seven percent. The poll indicates that Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota is at four percent, with former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania at three percent and former Utah Gov. and ambassador to China Jon Huntsman at one percent.

Palin has flirted with a bid for the GOP nomination, but the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee has not taken any concrete steps towards launching a campaign. Taking Palin out of the mix produces a similar result: 30 percent for Perry, 22 percent for Romney, 11 percent for Gingrich, and all other candidates in single digits.
The poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, after last Thursday's debate in Orlando, Florida. Pundits and analysts rate Perry's performance in that debate, and in a debate one a week and a half earlier in Tampa, Florida, as uneven.

COMMENT:  The poll was taken among Republicans and Republican-leading independents.  There was apparently no requirement that the respondents had seen last week's debate.

Perry has a cultural advantage among conservatives, who tend to favor southern and southwestern candidates, certainly over a man who's been governor of Massachusetts.  At the same time, there is clearly a substantial discontent among conservatives.  I mean, when the presumed frontrunner only gets 28 percent, what does that tell you?

Let's see if Christie enters the race, and whether that makes a difference.

September 26, 2011