Romney more than doubles any challenger in early New Hampshire poll
A new poll from the NH Journal has former Massachusets Gov. Mitt Romney dominating the field of possible 2012 Republican presidential candidates. Romney secured 39 percent support in the poll, with no other challenger even breaking the 20-percent mark.
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin gains the second highest percentage at 16, followed by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee with 10 percent. The rest of the potential candidates are even further behind, gaining only single-digit support: eight percent for Newt Gingrich, seven percent for Texas Rep. Ron Paul, four percent for former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, three percent for former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and one percent for Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour.
The poll sampled both Republicans and Republican-leaning independents in the state. Unlike other early presidential state Iowa, where only registered Republicans can take part in the caucus, the New Hampshire primary is open to both those registered with the party and independents. That system could play an outsized role in the 2012 primary since there will (presumably) not be a competitive primary on the Democratic ballot, freeing the majority of independents to take part on the Republican side.
Romney finished second to Sen. John McCain in the 2008 New Hampshire primary, and he served as governor for a bordering state, so his first-place finish in the poll is not too surprising. Still, the gigantic margin between the former Massachusetts governor and any other candidate indicates that he starts the campaign as the heavy favorite to win the Granite State.
Related
Rep. Patrick McHenry: Please, Conservatives, Fill Out Your Census Forms!
The conservative congressman from North Carolina, a constant critic of the census -- one of the people who sounded the alarm about politicization when the
Rep. Paulsen allies with medical device industry to relax FDA oversight
Source: Flickr; Republicanconference (www.flickr.com/photos/republicanconference) On the heels of the Minnesota Independent story last week about U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen’s cozy financial relationship with the medical device industry, the New York Times reported Tuesday that some health professionals are alarmed by Paulsen’s push to relax Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight
Rep. Parker Griffith (R-Ala.)
One of the most conservative Democrats in the House -- a freshman who said he couldn’t support Nancy Pelosi again -- is going to switch over to the GOP. Josh
Rep. Paulsen touts balanced budget constitutional amendment
In a post for the conservative blog True North , U.S. Rep
Rep. Paulsen, Karl Rove the latest to get ‘glittered’
Rep. Erik Paulsen and former Bush staffer Karl Rove were both showered with glitter at the Midwest Leadership Conference Friday
Rep. Paul Ryan to deliver SOTU response
Chairman of the House Budget Committee Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will deliver the Republican response to the State of the Union Tuesday, according to Mike Allen
Rep. Perlmutter criticizes House measure that would eliminate 800K federal jobs
Congressman Ed Perlmutter today issued a scathing statement criticizing the House of Representatives for passing a spending bill that could put nearly a million federal employees out of work. The Colorado delegation voted strictly on party lines, with all four Republicans voting in favor of the bill and the three Democrats voting in opposition. Perlmutter’s statement: “My number one priority is to get people back to work because that’s the best thing we can do to pay our debt and move forward toward economic stability
Rep. Perlmutter to hold constituent meet-up in grocery store
Colorado Congressman Ed Perlmutter will hold a Government in the Grocery constituent meet-up this evening from 5-7 at the Safeway at 38th and Wadsworth in Wheat Ridge. The address is 3900 Wadsworth. The meeting, where Perlmutter typically sits at a folding table and talks to whomever shows up, is free and open to the public
Rep. Peace, ACLU seek investigation of soldier’s allegations of racial discrimination in Afghanistan
Both Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM) and the American Civil Liberties Union agree: There needs to be an investigation into Spc.
School of Hock
A growing number of college grads are defaulting on their student loans as the economy worsens.
