Gingrich, Giuliani Beware: Single Voters Don't Like Pol Affairs

Newt Gingrich and Rudy Giuliani have a potential new problem as they eye the White House: a majority of American singles say extramarital affairs of politicians will influence their vote, and not for the better.

Some 53 percent of singles polled by the dating site Zoosk would be hard on politicians who cheat and have an affair as both Gingrich and Giuliani, each married three times, have conceded they did. Single women are especially tough, with 57 percent saying that cheating will influence their vote compared to 50 percent of men. [See a photo roundup of Gingrich's career.]

And apparently single voters hold a grudge against cheaters. Zoosk says that 69 percent would not forgive an out-of-wedlock romance while 31 say they could.

The worldwide poll of 12,737, of which 5,354 were American singles, however showed a wide divide between how prudish Americans are compared to their European allies. Most Europeans say cheating would not influence their vote. [See a slide show of 11 reasons why Newt Gingrich could win the nomination.]

Take France for example, in the news because of the sexual assault charges pending against Frenchman Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the married former head of the International Monetary Fund. Says Zoosk:

"The French are the least interested in their politicians' private lives; 80% of singles in France don't care if a politician strays compared to 78% of singles in Denmark, 71% of singles in Sweden, 70% of singles in Italy, 68% of singles in Germany, and 56% of singles in the U.K. and Australia."

Other findings:

-- Americans and most others believe that golfer Tiger Woods is the worlds "worst offender" when it comes to cheating. In France and Italy, Woods was edged out by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, scandalized his "bunga bunga" parties with aspiring starlets in his villa near Milan. In an election this month, he won just one-third of the votes received in a previous election. [Check out cartoons about the 2012 GOP presidential field.]

-- Movies like Hall Pass are fun to watch but unrealistic. "While many monogamous couples joke about having a 'free pass' to hook up with a celebrity crush, in reality, 80% of U.S. singles say if given the opportunity, they would not cheat on a partner to have a one-night stand with a celebrity."

• See photos from Gingrich's career.
• Check out political cartoons about the 2012 GOP field.
• See who's running and who's not in 2012.