NRL News
202.626.8824
dadandrusk@aol.com

Romney Heavy Favorite on Eve of New Hampshire Primary

Jan 10, 2012

By Dave Andrusko

Mitt Romney (left) and Rick Santorum, at a New Hampshire debate

Dueling polls in New Hampshire show former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s in a strong position to win tomorrow’s first in the nation primary, with one showing no decline in his hefty lead, the other a ten point drop in the past five days.

Last night’s WMUR/University of New Hampshire poll  puts Romney at 41%, a whopping 17 point lead over Rep. Ron Paul at 17%.  Former Senator Rick Santorum, who virtually tied Romney in Iowa, is tied for third with former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman at 11%, followed by former Speaker Newt Gingrich with 8%.

By contrast according to a Suffolk University/7News poll released this morning, among likely voters Romney has the  support of 33% to 20% for Paul, a margin of 13 points. In this poll Huntsman is third (13%) with Gingrich next (11%), and Santorum fifth (10%). Huntsman received 16% in a poll taken by the Democratic-leaning firm Public Policy Polling.

Adding a lot of uncertainty is that President Obama is running unopposed and in New Hampshire Independents can vote in either primary.

“All of the candidates behind Romney have a good chance finishing anywhere between second and fifth place,” said Andrew Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. “New Hampshire voters historically have made up their minds in the final days before the election, and campaign activities in the final days matter, but this will be harder for Gingrich and Santorum as they are not running ads in the campaign’s final days.”

With Romney’s lead so large, attention is already focusing on South Carolina, which holds the first in the South primaries on January 21. Since 1980 the state has voted for the eventual winner in every GOP primary season.

“Right now, Santorum and Gingrich are essentially tied in South Carolina polls at about 20 percent, with Romney leading with about 30 percent,” according to the Christian Science Monitor. “ But polls can change fast. Santorum is still hoping for a strong finish in New Hampshire and the chance to sell himself to South Carolina voters as the only viable Romney alternative.”

Your feedback is very important to improving National Right to Life News Today. Please send your comments to daveandrusko@gmail.com. If you like, join those who are following me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/daveha

Categories: Politics