Are conservatives ready to coalesce around a presidential candidate? A new poll commissioned by the Committee for Work Families PAC finds that a vast majority of grassroots conservatives want the Republican party to unite around one particular candidate: Rick Santorum.
According to a press release from the organization, 74 percent of respondents, all grassroots conservative activists or office-holders, believe the GOP needs to unite around a single candidate, and 82 percent of those said they believed Santorum should be that candidate. Eighteen percent selected Mitt Romney and only 16 percent selected Newt Gingrich. CWF chairman Gary Bauer issued the following statement:
Bauer continued, “Having run myself, I know how difficult it can be when you are in the arena and asked to step aside. The Super Tuesday results made it clear that there is a strong conservative majority in the GOP primaries, but that vote is divided. Tuesday’s results also made it clear that Senator Santorum has the advantage. Now is the time for conservatives to stand with Senator Santorum.
Newt Gingrich is a walking think tank and one of the most effective spokesmen we have. He has always put the best interests of the conservative cause first. And at this critical moment, I believe he can best serve the cause as an advocate for our values outside the arena.
So is it time for Gingrich to exit the race? At the New York Times, Nate Silver crunches some numbers to show how much better situated Santorum would be without a Gingrich candidacy–and how much better off he will be if Gingrich exits the race soon. As a reminder, here’s what the boss had to say in the early hours after Super Tuesday:
