Hey Mitt, your potential voter base just isn't that into you

By Richard K. Barry

According to a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has a significant advantage over his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination in only one area. And what area do you suppose that would be? Yes, that's right: electability.

Apparently, most of those polled think he could be the one to beat Obama.

But before Mitt breaks out the Champagne, consider the following:

Some Republican leaders think that primary and caucus voters will be looking for the most electable candidate, which would play to Romney's one clear advantage. But [the poll] found that more than seven in ten Republicans said it was more important to support a candidate who shared their views on the issues rather than one who is considered most likely to win next November.

And, as we know, many conservatives have a problem with Romney because of his Massachusetts health care initiative, his religion, his occasionally rational views on climate change and evolution, and just the general sense that he is not a real right-winger - all of this, no doubt, contributing to the fact that he is stuck at 24 percent in the WaPo-ABC survey.

Wow, Romney can't win for trying. He's the one they think can beat Obama, and they still don't want him.

On the positive side, he is first or second choice of more than four in 10, higher than any other candidate. Without Cain in the race, Romney would be at 31 percent. And now that a fourth woman has come out publicly with charges of sexual harassment against Cain, which, judging from her press conference, sounds more like sexual assault, we may soon be dealing with a Herm-less political universe.

The kicker for me, though, was the finding that only 9 percent of those polled say they are "very satisfied" with their choices for the Republican nomination.

Yeah, it is becoming increasingly clear that Romney will be the Republican nominee and few will be very excited about it.

How frustrating it must for Republicans. All the conditions are right for a return to the White House, they just haven't got a horse to get them there.

(Cross-posted at Lippmann's Ghost.)