Corresponding with the release of Sarah Palin’s new book, several pollsters have updated questions on the former vice-presidential candidate. Yesterday, Karlyn Bowman discussed polls relating views on Sarah Palin and Joe Biden’s qualifications to be president. Several new polls show that Americans overwhelmingly think Palin is not qualified to be president. An ABC/Washington Post poll shows that 60 percent think she is not qualified to be president. In a CNN poll, 70 percent think she is not qualified. Sixty-two percent in a CBS News poll think she does not have the ability to govern effectively.
One large discrepancy between these polls is the number of undecided responses. Only 5 percent in the ABC/Washington Post poll have no opinion on whether they have a favorable or unfavorable view of Sarah Palin. However, in the CBS News poll, 37 percent are either “undecided” or “haven’t heard enough to say” whether they view her favorably or unfavorably. Such a wide discrepancy leaves doubt as to whether Americans have made up their mind on Sarah Palin or if she has room to grow (or fall) in American eyes.
There does seem to be evidence emerging that, fair or not, Sarah Palin is being identified with the future of the Republican Party. In the latest Rasmussen Reports poll, a plurality of 41 percent thought Sarah Palin represents a new direction for the Republican Party. In that same poll, an identical plurality thought she shares the values of most Republican voters throughout the nation. Unfortunately, other pollsters haven’t asked similar questions. The results, therefore, should be treated with a healthy dose of skepticism. It is true that opinions of Sarah Palin remain far more favorable among Republicans. In a November CBS News poll, 52 percent of Republicans, 4 percent of Democrats, and 21 percent of Independents have a favorable opinion of her. This isn’t surprising, but it does complement the Rasmussen data that shows her strong association with the Republican Party’s future.
Also, in polls that rank potential Republican presidential candidates for 2012, Sarah Palin consistently places near or at the top. The latest iteration of this ranking was done by CNN in mid-October. A quarter of national adults would support her as the Republican nominee, ranking behind Mike Huckabee’s 32 percent support. The CBS poll and the CNN poll might support the Rasmussen data in the conclusion that Sarah Palin represents a potential future for the Republican Party.
Andrew Rugg is a research assistant at the American Enterprise Institute.