FWIW, PPP also finds Gingrich gaining and Santorum fading.
Actually...
@ppppolls
PublicPolicyPolling
Big gainer since last week in our SC poll: Ron Paul. Big loser since last week: Rick Santorum. Little change for most others
Wonder if DeMint's favorable comments grew legs. Also wonder if Krauthammer's op-ed will soften some of the establishment right's objectionism.
S'not hard to imagine.
A lot of people get the image of all Paul supporters being young libertarian sorts who like low taxes and pot while disliking wars. That was the case in 08 maybe, but he's attracted a lot of periphery demographics along the way (pro-gun people, anti-war liberals, etc) that are soft but prefer him to Romney.
In Iowa, that periphery almost won him the caucus, but then there was a nonstop media barrage of SANTORUM SURGING based on a flawed CNN poll, which led to a chunk of Paul's soft support going to Santorum because they were "anyone but Romney" voters.
In New Hampshire, it didn't work so well since Huntsman is a known liberal at best and most anti-Romney voters are more conservative and thus would prefer someone they at least think is conservative too (Santorum had this). Paul's base could be considered liberal, and has a lot of liberal elements, but is about as solid a base as you can get.
I honestly thought the best Paul could get in SC would be maybe fourth or third, but looking at this momentum I'd say its entirely possible he could actually win and create the Bizzaro World of elections (The moderate wins Iowa and New Hampshire, the libertarian wins South Carolina), seeing as how Gingrich is apparently the last non-Paul non-Romney candidate with strength left, and he's devoted himself to a scorched earth strategy against Romney.
