Republicans say Sarah Palin best reflects their core values

Results of a Washington Post poll released Monday show that Republicans believe that Sarah Palin, more than any other GOP leader, best reflects the core values of the party, according to CNN's Political Ticker:

18 percent of Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP say the former Alaska governor best reflects core GOP values. In second place, 5 points back, is Sen. John McCain of Arizona, last year's Republican presidential nominee, followed by former Arkansas governor and 2008 presidential candidate Mike Huckabee at 7 percent, former Massachusetts governor and presidential candidate Mitt Romney at 6 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 4 percent and conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh at 2 percent. Other current Republican leaders were picked by 1 percent or less of those questioned in the poll.

Palin also tops the list of potential 2012 Republican presidential hopefuls. According to the poll, 17 percent of Republican voters say they'd back last year's GOP vice presidential nominee if their state's caucus or primary were being held today, with Huckabee at 10 percent, Romney at 9 percent and McCain with 2 percent support. Huckabee, Palin and Romney have topped most national surveys of the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

Nearly fifty percent of the Republicans questioned think Sarah Palin's effect on the party has been a good one, with only 20 percent saying she's had a negative effect and about 30 percent saying she hasn't made a difference either way. An overwhelming 90 percent said that the media have treated her unfairly.

The poll internals are here.

- JP