Newt Gingrich's infidelities not hurting him in South Carolina
One major issue that might have slowed Newt Gingrich鈥檚 momentum in South Carolina 鈥� his history of marital infidelities, most recently highlighted in interviews with his second wife 鈥� appears not to be doing so.
Heading into today鈥檚 primary election there, Gingrich was polling at 37 percent to 28 percent for Mitt Romney, 16 percent for Rick Santorum, and 14 percent for Ron Paul, according to Public Policy Polling (PPP).
鈥淕ingrich's lead has actually increased in the wake of his ex-wife's controversial interview with ABC,鈥� reports PPP. 鈥淭here's a lot of skepticism about it. Only 31 percent of voters say they think her accusations are true while 35 percent think they are false and 34 percent are unsure. Fifty-one percent of voters say that they have 'no concerns' about what came out in the interview.鈥�
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Gingrich鈥檚 response to Marianne Gingrich鈥檚 charge that her former husband sought an 鈥渙pen marriage鈥� in order to continue an affair with the woman who would become his third wife 鈥� deny it outright and blast the media for its 鈥渄estructive, vicious, negative nature鈥� 鈥� clearly is working, according to this poll.
Just 14 percent of likely South Carolina GOP primary voters have a generally favorable opinion of the media, while 77 percent view it negatively.
Other surveys have found similar results 鈥� especially when the episode happened years ago.
A Monitor/TIPP poll taken in December shows that the more distant the infidelity, the less the public cares about it.
Asked 鈥淗ow important is marital fidelity to you in choosing a presidential candidate?鈥� 52 percent said 鈥渋mportant鈥� (27 percent 鈥渧ery important鈥�), and another 26 percent said 鈥渟omewhat important.鈥� Among Republicans, the total saying the issue was at least somewhat important was 87 percent.
But asked to 鈥渞ate how you would weigh a presidential candidate's infidelity if the affair occurred 10 years ago,鈥� the numbers shifted significantly. Only 28 percent said 鈥渆xtremely鈥� or 鈥渧ery鈥� important, and that number was actually lower for Republicans (26 percent). For 42 percent of those surveyed, any infidelity that long ago 鈥� which is the case with Gingrich 鈥� was viewed as 鈥渘ot very important鈥� or 鈥渘ot important at all.鈥�
鈥淣ewt Gingrich looks like the clear favorite now in tomorrow鈥檚 primary,鈥� Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling, said Friday. 鈥淭here was a thought that his ex-wife鈥檚 interview could stop his momentum in South Carolina, but instead it seems to have reinforced his support. He鈥檚 winning with all the key groups that determine the winners and losers in Palmetto state GOP politics.鈥�
The latest American Research Group poll, conducted in South Carolina on Thursday and Friday, shows Gingrich leading Romney 40-26 percent.
South Carolina is about as 鈥渞ed鈥� a state as they come, where active Republicans are inclined to favor the most conservative, most combative candidate. Things could change as the primary train moves to Florida and beyond. But for now, that鈥檚 Newt Gingrich 鈥� despite his controversial marital history.
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