Sarah Palin has remained, at least for me, shockingly unpopular among hardcore Republican primary voters in early primary states. Considering that she was the GOP's VP nominee in 2008, a candidate that brought supposedly mobilized the base and spent the next two years throwing rhethorical bombs at candidate and then President Obama she's been unable to consolidate support among the rank and file of the Republican party. From politico:
A detailed examination of Palin’s polling in the early going suggests that, contrary to the conventional wisdom, the media splash of her late entry into the presidential caucuses and primaries would barely rock the electoral boat. While her endorsement is likely to be a key 2012 prize, pollsters and Republican operatives in the three states repeat the same mantra: Unusual numbers of Republican voters actively dislike her; and among the majority who like her, few think she can serve as president.Money quote from New Hampshire pollster Andrew Smith:
the only ‘Republican’ less popular than her is the Donald.”