Do Vermonters Like Santorum? 

When it comes to presidential politics, Vermont matters about as much as Idaho and only slightly more than Guam (whose citizens can send delegates to nominating conventions but can't vote in elections). Which is to say, we're basically ignored.

Still, after last night's first-in-the-nation Iowa Caucuses — and next Tuesday's primary next door in New Hampshire — you may be curious about your fellow Vermonters' preferences in the GOP field. Especially in light of the shocking, come-from-behind second-place finish of uber-conservative Rick Santorum (pictured).

Are we Vermonters suckers for Santorum? Ga-ga for Gingrich? Mad for Mitt? Hot for Huntsman?

Turns out that Public Policy Polling actually surveyed Vermonters on that very question last August. As you'd probably guess, Mitt Romney did quite well among Vermont voters, while Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich did decidedly less well.

Santorum? The pollsters didn't even list him as an option. Dude was completely ignored.

Between July 28 and 31, the Raleigh, N.C.-based Public Policy Polling surveyed 617 usual Democratic primary voters and 366 usual Republican primary voters in Vermont. Survey takers were asked to make a selection from among nine choices for president.

For whatever reason, Santorum, who had entered the race in June, was not among the choices. Rick Perry wasn't a candidate at that point, yet was among the choices. Sarah Palin, who wasn't a candidate then and still isn't today, was on the list too. One of the choices was "Someone else/Undecided," so maybe Santorum supporters were lumped in that category?

Here's the breakdown of the results from all voters surveyed:

Michelle Bachmann - 16%

Herman Cain - 9%

Newt Gingrich - 6%

Jon Huntsman - 3%

Sarah Palin - 16%

Ron Paul - 7%

Tim Pawlenty - 1%

Rick Perry - 10%

Mitt Romney - 26%

Someone else/Undecided - 5%

.......

Here's the breakdown among Vermont Republicans (which is virtually identical):

Bachmann - 17%

Cain - 9%

Gingrich - 7%

Huntsman - 3%

Palin - 16%

Paul - 3%

Pawlenty - 1%

Perry - 12%

Romney - 26%

Someone else/Undecided - 6%

.........

Goes to show the early predictions of the media-polling-industrial-complex aren't always reliable.