Regardless of what she felt about time with her family, there was one practical political reason Sarah Palin finally said she will not seek the 2012 Republican presidential nomination: Republicans didn’t want her.

As early as last winter, Republicans and conservative activists started telling me they’d moved on. They said they didn’t like the fact she’d quit her job as governor midway through her term, and that they didn’t think she was showing any interest in learning about national issues.

 
"Her major weakness is that she needs to bone up on how the government works," said Don Long, a retiree from Lake Wylie, S.C., told me last February. "I don't know if she's done as much of that as she needs to."

She paled next to Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., who wowed early gatherings of conservatives with her ability to talk in depth, and in a compelling way, about issues form debt to foreign policy.

By this fall, the sentiment was overwhelming.

By 72 percent to 24 percent, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents told a McClatchy-Marist Poll last month they did not want her to run.

Even 68 percent of tea party supporters, her would-be base, said they did not want her to run.

October 5, 2011
Wasilla, Alaska
After much prayer and serious consideration, I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for President of the United States. As always, my family comes first and obviously Todd and I put great consideration into family life before making this decision. When we serve, we devote ourselves to God, family and country. My decision maintains this order.

My decision is based upon a review of what common sense Conservatives and Independents have accomplished, especially over the last year. I believe that at this time I can be more effective in a decisive role to help elect other true public servants to office – from the nation’s governors to Congressional seats and the Presidency. We need to continue to actively and aggressively help those who will stop the “fundamental transformation” of our nation and instead seek the restoration of our greatness, our goodness and our constitutional republic based on the rule of law.

From the bottom of my heart I thank those who have supported me and defended my record throughout the years, and encouraged me to run for President. Know that by working together we can bring this country back – and as I’ve always said, one doesn’t need a title to help do it. 

I will continue driving the discussion for freedom and free markets, including in the race for President where our candidates must embrace immediate action toward energy independence through domestic resource developments of conventional energy sources, along with renewables. We must reduce tax burdens and onerous regulations that kill American industry, and our candidates must always push to minimize government to strengthen the economy and allow the private sector to create jobs. 

Those will be our priorities so Americans can be confident that a smaller, smarter government that is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people can better serve this most exceptional nation. 

In the coming weeks I will help coordinate strategies to assist in replacing the President, re-taking the Senate, and maintaining the House.

Thank you again for all your support. Let’s unite to restore this country! 

God bless America.

– Sarah Palin

Mitt Romney leads Rick Perry 24-20 among Republicans in Ohio, a new Quinnipiac University poll shows Wednesday.

The poll finds potential candidate Sarah Palin at 9 percent, Herman Cain at 7 percent, Ron Paul at 6 percent, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum each at 4 percent, Michele Bachmann at 3 percent and Jon Huntsman at 1 percent.

“The Republican presidential race in Ohio at this point is shifting back and forth between former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Gov. Rick Perry,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

If Ohio Republicans were given just a choice between the two, Perry would lead 42-38, the poll found.

“Perry’s strength is among two large constituencies within the Republican coalition. In a two-man race, Perry defeats Romney 57 – 30 percent among Republicans who consider themselves part of the Tea Party movement. He leads Romney 48 – 33 percent among Republicans who are white, evangelical Christians.”

Mitt Romney has pulled far ahead of his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination in New Hampshire, a new Suffolk University/7NEWS poll shows

The former Massachusetts governor was the chocie of 41 percent of GOP voters in the Sept. 18-20 survey of 400 likely Republican primary voters. Margin of error is plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.

Trailing were Texas Rep. Ron Paul at 14 percent; former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman at 10 percent; Texas Gov. Rick Perry, 8 percent; former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has not entered the race, 6 percent; Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, 5 percent, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, 4 percent.

"The anti-Romney candidate at this point could be either Ron Paul, who has polled consistently over the past year, or Jon Huntsman, whose numbers are really growing in the Granite State," said poll director David Paleologos.

Perry, who is running ahead of Romney in most national polls, has visited the state since announcing his candidacy last month. But Romney has worked New Hampshire hard, and the poll found he is viewed favorably by 69 percent of potential GOP voters.

New Hampshire traditionally holds the nation's first presidential primary.

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann is surging in the latest Quinnipiac poll, with 14 percent support from Republicans in her quest for the GOP presidential nomination.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney still leads among Republican and Republican-leaning voters, with 25 percent, the same support he had in last month's survey. Bachmann then had 6 percent.

But that was before her June 13 New Hampshire debate performance, and her announcement of her candidacy shortly afterward.

"The question about Rep. Bachmann is whether she is the flavor of the month....or does she have staying power?" asked Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Third in the poll was former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, at 12 percent. She has not said whether she will run.

Next was another potential candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, at 10 percent. Trailing were businessman Herman Cain at 6 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Rep. Ron Paul, each with 5 percent, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, 3 percent, and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, each with 1 percent.

The poll surveyed 2,311 registered voters from July 5-11. Margin of error was plus or minus 2 percentage points. For Republican preferences, 913 voters were surveyed. Margin of error was plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann has surged into second place among likely New Hampshire Republican voters, but still is far behind frontrunner Mitt Romney, according to the latest WMUR Granite State poll, a survey of political attidues in New Hampshire.

The state traditionally is the site of the nation's first presidential primary, and Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, has the support of 35 percent, down from 41 percent last month. Bachmann, after what analysts considered a strong performance at the June 13 New Hampshire debate, is second at 12 percent.

Trailing were Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, each with 7 percent. Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who like Giuliani has not yet said if he will run, had 4 percent, and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty tied with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who also has not declared her White House intentions, at 3 percent.

773 adults were surveyed between June 21 and July 1, including 357 likely Republican voters. Margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for the entire survey and 5.2 percentage points for the GOP sample.

In a general election matchup, President Barack Obama would lose to Romney in NEw Hampshire, 47 to 34 percent. But Obama would beat Bachmann, 47 to 41 percent.

There was one bit of good news for the GOP candidates: 75 percent of likely GOP voters said they were still trying to decide who to support. The survey was conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.

For complete press release and tabular notes

Sarah Palin will visit Iowa Tuesday to attend the premiere of a movie about her career, the producers said Saturday.

Palin and her husband, Todd, will attend the premiere of The Undefeated in Pella, Iowa, at an historic theater, the Pella Opera House.

“We are very excited to visit historic Pella and its opera house and look forward to seeing the finished film for the first time with fellow Americans from the heartland,” Palin said in a statement released by the movie producers.

Afterward, the producers plan a cookout in the small town to thank the people there for hosting the event.

Palin’s visit to Iowa is sure to feed speculation about whether she’ll jump into the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. Iowa is the site of the first contest of the vote of the 2012 campaign – precinct caucuses early next year.

Palin will arrive in Iowa a day after Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., also a favorite of tea party conservatives, launches her campaign in Iowa. Palin will also be in Iowa the same day as President Barack Obama, who will be visiting an Alcoa factory there.

The new movie about Sarah Palin will premiere in Iowa next week and producers hope she'll attend.

The 2-hour movie, The Undefeated, is a favorable view of Palin's career and could serve as launching pad for a presidential campaign.

The producers plan premieres in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina — three critical early voting states in the Republican nomination contest.

They have invited Palin to attend the Iowa premiere next week. She has not committed to attending.

Posted by Chief Political Correspondent Steve Thomma

Looks like Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani have the most potential as Republican candidates against President Barack Obama, according to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll.

The survey was conducted June 3 to 7, just after Romney formally declared his presidential candidacy, and Giuliani and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Plain visited New Hampshire, tradtionally the site of the nation's first presidential primary. Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, and Palin are not declared candidates.

In the poll, 77 percent of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents said Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, was qualified to be president. Giuliani was next at 75 percent. Palin was at 60 percent.

In addition, 65 percent said Romney could beat Obama, while 56 percent thought Giuliani could also. No other Republican got above 50 percent; Palin was at 44 percent. Guiliani was also seen by 85 percent as a strong, decisive leader; Romney was seen that way by 73 percent.

Palin, though, topped the field in other categories: Someone who's not a typical politician, represents the values of Republicans like you, and generally agrees with you on issues you care about.

But there is some potential for others. 60 percent had never heard of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who is exploring the race and also visited New Hampshire while the poll was being conducted, and 44 percent were unfamiliar with former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

The overall poll surveyed 1,015 people. Margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points. 433 Republicans were surveyed, and margin of error was plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.

Seven candidates, including Romney and Pawlenty, will debate Monday night in New Hampshire,

To read the full poll:

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/06/12/new.poll.pdf

The new movie about Sarah Palin's rise in Alaska politics, The Undefeated, will be shown in AMC theaters, the film's produicers announced Friday.

The two-hour movie will be shown in some AMC theaters, in such markets as Dallas-Ft. Worth, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis and Kansas City, according to the distribution agreement.

The firm handling the distribution said that the movie will be distributed to match Palin's niche appeal.

“Given Palin’s ardent following throughout the country, digital cinema allows us to be extremely precise and efficient in our distribution strategy, bringing this much-anticipated film directly to interested theatre-goers," Jonathan Dern, President of Cinedigm Entertainment Group, said in a statement.