Poll Watch: CBS News 2012 Republican Nomination Survey

CBS News 2012 GOP Nomination Poll

• Newt Gingrich 20% {15%} (10%) [8%] {7%} 
• Mitt Romney 20% {15%} (21%) [17%] {16%}
• Ron Paul 10% {5%} (8%) [7%] {5%}
• Rick Perry 6% {8%} (6%) [12%] {23%}
• Michele Bachmann 4% {4%} (2%) [4%] {7%}
• Rick Santorum 3% {2%} (1%) [3%] {1%}
• Jon Huntsman 1% {1%} (1%) [2%] {1%}
• Someone else 19% {14%} (12%) [10%] {11%}
• Undecided/Don't know 17% {17%} (14%) [18%] {22%}

Mind Made Up Whom to Support?

• Yes 21% {28%}
• Too early 79% {72%} 

Do you think of Newt Gingrich as more of a liberal, a moderate or a conservative?

• Liberal 14%
• Moderate 29%
• Conservative 41%

Do you think of Mitt Romney as more of a liberal, a moderate or a conservative?

• Liberal 16%
• Moderate 39%
• Conservative 31%

Do you think Newt Gingrich has the right kind of temperament and personality to be a good president, or not?

• Yes 56%
• No 29%

Do you think Mitt Romney has the right kind of temperament and personality to be a good president, or not?

• Yes 63%
• No 25%

Do you think Newt Gingrich says what he believes most of the time, or does he say what he thinks people want to hear?

• Yes, says what he believes 61%
• No, says what people want to hear 28%

Do you think Mitt Romney says what he believes most of the time, or does he say what he thinks people want to hear?

• Yes, says what he believes 38%
• No, says what people want to hear 49%

Do you think Newt Gingrich shares the values you try you live by, or doesn't he?

• Yes 51%
• No 32%

Do you think Mitt Romney shares the values you try you live by, or doesn't he?

• Yes 57%
• No 27%

Regardless of how you intend to vote in 2012, which one of these candidates do you think has the best chance of beating Barack Obama in the general election in November 2012?

• Mitt Romney 37% {40%}
• Newt Gingrich 31% {6%}
• Ron Paul 8% {2%}
• Rick Perry 5% {6%}
• Michele Bachmann 3% {4%}
• Jon Huntsman 2% {1%}
• Rick Santorum 2% {2%}

Regardless of how you intend to vote in 2012, which candidate do you think is best prepared for the job of President of the United States?

• Newt Gingrich 45%
• Mitt Romney 22%
• Ron Paul 12%
• Rick Perry 6%
• Michele Bachmann 3%
• Rick Santorum 2%
• Jon Huntsman 1%

Regardless of how you intend to vote in 2012, which candidate do you trust most to deal with the economy and unemployment?

• Newt Gingrich 26%
• Mitt Romney 26%
• Ron Paul 16%
• Rick Perry 9%
• Michele Bachmann 8%
• Rick Santorum 3%
• Jon Huntsman 1%

Regardless of how you intend to vote in 2012, which candidate do you trust most to handle the federal budget deficit?

• Newt Gingrich 30%
• Ron Paul 20%
• Mitt Romney 20%
• Michele Bachmann 8%
• Rick Perry 7%
• Rick Santorum 3%
• Jon Huntsman 1%

Regardless of how you intend to vote in 2012, which candidate do you trust most to reform the federal tax system?

• Newt Gingrich 29%
• Ron Paul 18%
• Mitt Romney 16%
• Michele Bachmann 8%
• Rick Perry 6%
• Rick Santorum 4%
• Jon Huntsman 0%

Regardless of how you intend to vote in 2012, which one of these candidates' policies do you think would represent the biggest change from Barack Obama's policies?

• Newt Gingrich 27%
• Ron Paul 23%
• Michele Bachmann 12%
• Mitt Romney 11%
• Rick Perry 8%
• Rick Santorum 4%
• Jon Huntsman 0%

Regardless of how you intend to vote in 2012, which one of these candidates do you think would fight the hardest to enact his or her economic policies?

• Newt Gingrich 33%
• Ron Paul 20%
• Mitt Romney 15%
• Michele Bachmann 9%
• Rick Perry 8%
• Rick Santorum 4%
• Jon Huntsman 1%

Survey of 291 registered Republican primary voters was conducted December 14-18, 2011. The margin of error is +/- 6 percentage points. Results from the poll conducted November 6-10, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted October 19-24, 2011 are in parentheses. Results from the poll conducted September 28 - October 2, 2011 are in square brackets. Results from the poll conducted September 10-15, 2011 are in curly brackets.