GOP Women: Santorum Won Their Votes

Newt Gingrich may have won their minds, but Rick Santorum won their hearts.

A group of Republican women gathered Monday night at the Sheraton Convention in Myrtle Beach to participate in live polling while watching the Republican Presidential Debate.

Using dial-test technology, Palladian View, a political marketing firm led by Karen Floyd, the former chair of the SCGOP, was able to record the real-time reactions of 18 women participating in the poll as they watched the debate.

When asked how the debate had affected their vote, 25 percent of the women who responded said their minds had been changed.

The marketing group found that 50 percent of the 18 women participating in the poll said Gingrich won the debate.

However, 56 percent of those same ladies said when they cast their ballot during Saturday's First in the South Republican Primary, it will be for Santorum.

Gingrich came in second with 25 percent of their vote.

The women voted electronically and anonymously during the the 90-minute debate.

According to Palladian View, 82 percent of the women polled were identified as conservative, rather than moderate. Most of the ladies were between the ages of 51 and 60. 

Linda Smoak of Charleston, a participant in the live polling, said Gingrich won the debate in one soundbite: 

"All unemployment compensation should be tied to a job training requirement … Now the fact is, 99 weeks is an associate degree."

Smoak said she's torn between Gingrich and Santorum when it comes to pushing the button. She's still undecided. 

Eaddy Willard of Columbia also said Gingrich won the debate. 

"He was able to communicate, very clearly and very directly," Willard said.

But she, too, is torn between candidates Gingrich, Santorum and frontrunner Mitt Romney. In fact, the only candidate she wouldn't consider was Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who she called "naive." 

A Romney supporter coming into the debate, Diane Carr of Lake Wylie said he won the debate and he won her vote. 

"Mitt is the most electable," she said.

Carr was in the minority among the women; 12.5 percent said they would vote for Romney.