Oops! Gingrich backers split on second choice

I once opined that if Gingrich voters were all about stopping Mitt Romney, they’d already be backing Santorum. Naturally, that wasn’t a popular point of view in Santorumville.

Turns out I was onto something after all (Gallup):

Republican voters who prefer Newt Gingrich for the party’s 2012 presidential nomination are as likely to name Mitt Romney as their second choice as they are to name Rick Santorum, suggesting the race would not tilt in Santorum’s favor if Gingrich dropped out.

To be specific, Romney is actually on the upside of the statistical tie vis a vis Santorum (40-39). With Gingrich in the race, Romney leads nationally by 6; without him Romney leads by seven.

Cross-posted to Bearing Drift

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