Deregulate Oil, Regulate Miscegenation

Hey, been to Mississippi lately? Not me! I can't afford the gasoline! But people are there, and Public Policy Polling asked the Republicans among them a few questions. First question, not so embarassing:

Mississippi Republicans want Haley Barbour to be their nominee for President next year, and he's doing far better in his home state than most of the other Republicans looking at the race are doing in theirs. 37% say Barbour is their first choice, followed by 19% for Mike Huckabee, 10% for Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin, 6% for Mitt Romney, 5% for Michele Bachmann, 3% for Tim Pawlenty, and 2% for Ron Paul.

The only Republican we've found doing better in their home state so far is Romney, who 47% of Massachusetts GOP voters want as their nominee.

Okay, that's all kind of predictable. (By the way Romney in Massachusetts? Somebody likes their state-run health care plan!)
But here's the real reason I'm linking to this:

We asked voters on this poll whether they think interracial marriage should be legal or illegal- 46% of Mississippi Republicans said it should be illegal to just 40% who think it should be legal. For the most part there aren't any huge divides in how voters view the candidates or who they support for the nomination based on their attitudes about interracial marriage but there are a few exceptions.

Palin's net favorability with folks who think interracial marriage should be illegal (+55 at 74/19) is 17 points higher than it is with folks who think interracial marriage should be legal (+38 at 64/26.) Meanwhile Romney's favorability numbers see the opposite trend. He's at +23 (53/30) with voters who think interracial marriage should be legal but 19 points worse at +4 (44/40) with those who think it should be illegal. Tells you something about the kinds of folks who like each of those candidates.

I'd be fascinated to see either candidate weigh in on this one! But of course, they're not obligated to and only Sharon Angle would be crazy enough to address the question. Fortunately, she's thinking of running.