Poll Watch: Rasmussen 2012 Republican Nomination Survey

Rasmussen 2012 Republican Nomination Survey

Which potential candidate would you least like to see get the nomination for president…Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee or Newt Gingrich?

• Sarah Palin 33%
• Newt Gingrich 23%
• Mitt Romney 15%
• Mike Huckabee 13%

Favorability Rating

• Mitt Romney 81%
• Sarah Palin 79%
• Mike Huckabee 77%
• Newt Gingrich 70%
• Ron Paul 53%

National survey of 1,000 likely GOP primary voters was conducted January 18, 2011. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.

Inside the numbers:

Republican Tea Party members feel much more favorably about Palin than any of the other front-runners, with 68% who have a Very Favorable opinion of her. Non-Tea Party members like Romney best, with Huckabee close behind.

A plurality (46%) of GOP primary voters who are not members of the grass roots movement say Palin is the one they least hope gets the 2012 nomination. Among Tea Party members, 23% feel that way, while 26% say it of Gingrich, 20% of Romney and 16% of Huckabee.

In virtually all demographic categories, however, there is little difference of opinion when it comes to the favorables for the top three contenders.

Very conservative primary voters clearly like Palin best. Those who describe themselves as somewhat conservative or moderate/liberal feel strongest about Romney and Huckabee.

If Romney, Palin, Huckabee and Gingrich decide not to run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 or their campaigns falter in the early going, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is the leader among primary voters on a list of eight other prominent Republicans reportedly considering the race.