About six in 10 Republicans want to see 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney run again for the White House in 2016 — the most favorable reception among Republicans out of a host of possible GOP candidates in a new poll.
Fifty-nine percent of Republicans say they would like Mr. Romney to run in 2016 and 26 percent would not, according to the CBS News poll.
Even as Republicans hint they wouldn’t mind another run from Mr. Romney, 61 percent say it’s more important to have a presidential nominee who agrees with their position on most issues, compared to 35 percent who say it’s more important to have a nominee who can win in November.
Meanwhile, 50 percent would like to see former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush run and 27 percent would not, while 40 percent would like to see former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee run and 29 percent would not.
Twenty-six percent would like Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida to run and 19 percent would not, with 54 percent not knowing enough to say, and 22 percent would like to see Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to run, 12 percent would not, and 64 percent didn’t know enough to say.
Twenty-one percent would like to see retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson run and 17 percent would not, while 61 percent didn’t know enough to say.
Forty-four percent of Republicans would not like to see New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie run, compared to 29 percent who would. Twenty-five percent would not like Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas to run compared to 21 percent who would and 53 percent who didn’t know enough about him to say.
Thirty-four percent would not like to see Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky run, compared to 27 percent who would, and 32 percent would not like to see outgoing Gov. Rick Perry of Texas run, compared to 21 percent who would.
Twenty-nine percent would not like to see former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania run again, compared to 19 percent who would and 51 percent who didn’t know enough about him to say.
Fourteen percent would like to see Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal run and 20 percent would not; about two-thirds didn’t know enough to say either way.
And by about a two-to-one margin, 59 percent to 30 percent, Republicans say they would not like to see former Alaska Gov. and 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin run in 2016.
The survey of 1,001 adults was taken from Jan. 9-12 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 6 percent for results compiled from Republicans.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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