survey says

Nearly 70 Percent of Poll Respondents Use Negative Word or Phrase to Describe GOP Nomination Battle

Mitt Romney (C) former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R) during the ABC News GOP Presidential debate on the campus of Drake University on December 10, 2011 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Painful. Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

When prompted by NBC/WSJ pollsters to describe the winding, circus-like Republican presidential nomination process, MSNBC reports that “nearly 70 percent of respondents – including six in 10 independents and even more than half of Republicans – answered with a negative comment.” The poll also confirmed what Republican party officials probably knew and feared about the contentious, expensive nomination process, that “four in 10 of all adults say the GOP nominating process has given them a less favorable impression of the Republican Party, versus just slightly more than one in 10 with a more favorable opinion.” So just how did the respondents summarize their disillusionment from this GOP nomination battle, the first campaign in a super-PAC-ified era, in a single word or phrase?

The examples offered by the pollsters include, “unenthusiastic,” “discouraged,” “lesser of two evils,” “painful,” “disappointed,” “poor choices,” “concerned,” “underwhelmed,” “uninspiring” and “depressed.”

Depressed” could be that person’s indictment of the campaign or resulting condition, maybe both.

One of the gentlemen running the poll, Bill McInturff, a Republican pollster, offered his own word to describe nomination fight’s effect on the GOP: “Corrosive.”

A few more interesting bits:

Even among Republicans, 23 percent maintain the primary season has given them a less favorable opinion of the party, versus 16 percent who say it’s been positive.

In addition, 55 percent of respondents – including 35 percent of Republicans – believe the Democratic Party does a better job than the GOP in appealing to those who aren’t hard-core supporters. Just 26 percent say the Republican Party does a better job on this front.

And it’s been damaging for Romney, too. In January’s NBC/WSJ poll, Romney’s favorable/unfavorable rating stood at 31 percent to 36 percent among all respondents (and 22/42 percent among independents).

Nevertheless, Romney’s Tea Party support has grown and 72 percent of Republicans answered that they would be satisfied with him as their nominee. But as evidenced above, not all adjectives are equal.

Nearly 70 Percent of Poll Respondents Use Negative Word or Phrase to Describe GOP Nomination Battle