The GOP presidential primary is Tuesday, February 28, 2012 and will be held in Arizona and Michigan. Before the primaries will take place the GOP candidates agreed to have a debate. The debate was hosted by CNN in Arizona Wednesday. With only days before the primaries, the GOP candidates hope to sway voters to their side.
“The stakes are enormous, not just because there’s been no debate for a month, but also because no more are scheduled before Super Tuesday,” CNN’s Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley said. “For Gingrich, Paul, Santorum and Romney, this may be the last chance to make another impression.”
GOP candidates Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney stood out during the debate, fiercely debating back and forth over issues like taxes, and Congressional earmarks. Both candidates expressed great dissaproval on the subject of Obamacare, taking the opportunity to point fingers and place fault. At one point the two candidates sitting side by side just inches apart became heated, delivering jabs in both directions.
“The reason we have ‘Obamacare’ is because the senator you supported over Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania, Arlen Specter… voted for ‘Obamacare,” said Romney. “If you had not supported him…we would not have ‘Obamacare,’ so don’t look at me, take a look in the mirror.”
Santorum fired back by commenting on Romney’s version of healthcare and questioning whether he could execute it financially on a national scale.
“…Yes governor, you balanced the budget for four years,” said Santorum, “You have a constitutional requirement to balance the budget for four years, no great shakes.. I’d like to see it federally. But don’t go around bragging about something you have to do. Michael Dukakis balanced the budget for 10 years. Does that make him qualified to be president of the United States? I don’t think so.”
The latest NBC Marist polls indicate that Romney and Santorum are nearly tied at 37 and 35 points respectively in Michigan. Both candidates trail President Obama by around 20 points. Voters approve of President Obama at 51 percent while 33 percent approve of GOP candidate Mitt Romney. President Obama beats out Ron Paul (53 percent to 31 percent), Rick Santorum (56 percent to 28 percent) and finally Newt Gingrich (56 to 28 percent).
Taking Wednesday’s debate into account, could President Obama win over Arizona as well? He currently holds an approval rating of 38 percent in that state.
Stayed tuned for updates…
