Poll Watch: CNN/ORC 2012 Republican Nomination Survey

CNN/ORC 2012 GOP Nomination Poll

• Newt Gingrich 28% [24%] (22%) {8%} [11%] (7%) {7%} [8%] (5%) 
• Mitt Romney 28% [20%] (24%) {26%} [22%] (21%) {18%} [23%] (22%)
• Ron Paul 14% [9%] (8%) {9%} [7%] (13%) {6%} [14%] (12%)
• Michele Bachmann 8% [5%] (6%) {6%} [6%] (7%) {12%} [9%] (14%)
• Rick Perry 7% [11%] (12%) {13%} [30%] (32%) {32%} [18%] (17%) 
• Rick Santorum 4% [4%] (3%) {2%} [3%] (2%) {1%} [3%] (2%)
• Jon Huntsman 2% [3%] (3%) {1%} [1%] (2%) {1%} [5%] (1%)
• Someone else (vol.) 0% [0%] (1%) {1%} [3%] (2%) {4%} [2%] (3%)
• None/No one (vol.) 5% [3%] (4%) {5%} [5%] (4%) {6%} [5%] (10%)
• No opinion 4% [2%] (4%) {4%} [3%] (3%) {4%} [4%] (2%)

Would you say you will definitely support that candidate in 2012, or is it possible you would change your mind?

• Definitely support 35% [27%] (31%) {33%}
• Might change mind 56% [67%] (61%) {67%}

Which Republican candidate do you think is the strongest leader?

• Newt Gingrich 42% [29%] (9%)
• Mitt Romney 26% [26%] (21%)
• Rick Perry 9% [13%] (36%)
• Michele Bachmann 7% [2%] (4%)
• Ron Paul 6% [7%] (6%)
• Rick Santorum 2% [2%] (1%)
• Jon Huntsman 1% [1%] (1%)

Which Republican candidate do you think is the most likeable?

• Mitt Romney 30% [29%] {29%} (21%)
• Michele Bachmann 15% [6%] {8%} (11%)
• Newt Gingrich 15% [9%] {2%} (3%)
• Rick Perry 11% [14%] {13%} (25%) 
• Ron Paul 10% [7%] {4%} (7%)
• Rick Santorum 5% [3%] {3%} (2%)
• Jon Huntsman 4% [2%] {0%} (1%)

Regardless of who you support, which Republican candidate do you think is most likely to win the Republican nomination for president next year?

• Mitt Romney 41% {51%} (28%)
• Newt Gingrich 37% {3%} (6%)
• Michele Bachmann 6% {3%} (3%)
• Ron Paul 4% {3%} (4%) 
• Rick Perry 4% {14%} (41%)
• Rick Santorum 2% {1%} (1%)
• Jon Huntsman 0% {0%} (1%)

Which Republican candidate do you think has the best chance of beating Barack Obama in the general election next November?

• Mitt Romney 36% [40%] {41%} (26%)
• Newt Gingrich 35% [21%] {5%} (5%)
• Rick Perry 7% [9%] {12%} (42%)
• Ron Paul 6% [4%] {7%} (5%)
• Michele Bachmann 5% [2%] {3%} (5%)
• Rick Santorum 2% [2%] {1%} (0%)
• Jon Huntsman 0% [1%] {1%} (2%)

Which Republican candidate is most likely to agree with you on the issues that matter most to you?

• Mitt Romney 23% [16%] {21%} (15%) 
• Newt Gingrich 22% [25%] {9%} (6%)
• Michele Bachmann 14% [6%] {9%} (8%)
• Ron Paul 13% [9%] {9%} (14%)
• Rick Perry 10% [15%] {16%} (26%)
• Rick Santorum 5% [2%] {3%} (1%)
• Jon Huntsman 4% [2%] {2%} (3%)

Which Republican candidate is most likely to be able to get the economy moving?

• Mitt Romney 30% [25%] {26%} (26%)
• Newt Gingrich 28% [19%] {8%} (6%)
• Ron Paul 11% [9%] {5%} (10%)
• Michele Bachmann 9% [3%] {3%} (4%)
• Rick Perry 6% [12%] {14%} (35%)
• Rick Santorum 2% [3%] {3%} (1%)
• Jon Huntsman 1% [0%] {1%} (1%)

Survey of 436 Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents was conducted December 16-18, 2011. The margin of error is +/- 4.5 percentage points.  Results from the poll conducted November 18-20, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted November 11-13, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted October 14-16, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted September 23-25, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted September 9-11, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted August 24-25, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted August 5-7, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted July 18-20, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted May 24-26, 2011 are in square brackets.