Poll Watch: Washington Post/ABC News 2012 Republican Nomination Survey

Washington Post/ABC News 2012 GOP Nomination Poll

• Mitt Romney 30% (25%) {25%} [25%] (30%)
• Newt Gingrich 30% (12%) {9%} [5%] (6%) 
• Ron Paul 15% (9%) {9%} [10%] (10%) 
• Michele Bachmann 7% (4%) {7%} [9%] (17%) 
• Rick Perry 6% (14%) {17%} [30%] (8%)
• Rick Santorum 4% (2%) {2%} [3%] (3%)
• Jon Huntsman 2% (1%) {1%} [1%] (3%)
• Other 0% (0%) {2%} [2%] (1%) 
• No one/None of them 1% (2%) {4%} [4%] (2%) 
• Would not vote 1% (1%) {1%} [1%] (1%)
• No opinion 4% (8%) {7%} [5%] (9%)

Second Choice

• Mitt Romney 22% (21%)
• Newt Gingrich 21% (14%)
• Ron Paul 13% (9%)
• Rick Perry 10% (11%)
• Michele Bachmann 10% (9%)
• Rick Santorum 7% (3%)
• Jon Huntsman 3% (5%)
• Other 2% (1%)
• No one/None of them 6% (4%)
• Would not vote 1% (1%)
• No opinion 5% (5%)

Just your best guess, who do you think will win the Republican nomination for president?

• Mitt Romney 40%
• Newt Gingrich 35%
• Ron Paul 6%
• Michele Bachmann 5%
• Rick Perry 3%
• Jon Huntsman 2%
• Rick Santorum 0%
• Other 0%
• No opinion 8%

Regardless of who you may support, which of the Republican candidates do you think:

Has the best experience to be president

• Newt Gingrich 43% (16%)
  
• Mitt Romney 23% (27%)
• Ron Paul 8% (6%)
• Rick Perry 5% (8%)
• Michele Bachmann 4% (7%)
• Jon Huntsman 3% (2%)
• Rick Santorum 1% (2%)

Is better qualified to be commander in chief of the U.S. military

• Newt Gingrich 35%
• Mitt Romney 17%
• Rick Perry 8%
• Ron Paul 7%
• Jon Huntsman 4% 
• Michele Bachmann 3%
• Rick Santorum 2%

Has the best chance to defeat Barack Obama in the general election

• Mitt Romney 38% (33%) [20%] (32%)
  
• Newt Gingrich 28% (5%) [5%] (6%)
• Ron Paul 9% (3%) [4%] (3%)
• Rick Perry 3% (11%) [30%] (6%)
• Michele Bachmann 3% (1%) [4%] (7%)
• Jon Huntsman 3% (0%) [1%] (2%)
• Rick Santorum 0% (0%) [1%] (1%)

Best reflects the core values of the Republican Party

• Newt Gingrich 23% (19%) [6%] (9%)
• Mitt Romney 23% (20%) [18%] (19%)
• Michele Bachmann 13% (5%) [10%] (11%)
• Ron Paul 10% (4%) [6%] (8%)
• Rick Perry 7% (10%) [19%] (7%)
• Rick Santorum 5% (3%) [4%] (3%)
• Jon Huntsman 3% (1%) [1%] (1%)

Is the most likely to stand up for what he or she believes in

• Newt Gingrich 23%
• Mitt Romney 20%
• Michele Bachmann 17% 
• Ron Paul 16%
• Rick Perry 6%
• Rick Santorum 4%
• Jon Huntsman 3%

Regardless of who you may support, which of the Republican candidates do you trust most to handle:

The economy

• Mitt Romney 31% (22%) [22%]
• Newt Gingrich 25% (13%) [7%]
• Ron Paul 13% (7%) [8%]
• Michele Bachmann 7% (4%) [5%]
• Rick Perry 7% (10%) [22%]
• Jon Huntsman 3% (2%) [0%]
• Rick Santorum 1% (1%) [2%]

The federal budget deficit

• Mitt Romney 25%
  
• Newt Gingrich 25%
  
• Ron Paul 15%
  
• Michele Bachmann 9%
  
• Rick Perry 6%
  
• Jon Huntsman 2%
  
• Rick Santorum 2%

Healthcare

• Mitt Romney 25%
  
• Newt Gingrich 23%
  
• Ron Paul 14%
  
• Michele Bachmann 11%
  
• Rick Perry 6%
  
• Jon Huntsman 4%
  
• Rick Santorum 3%

Regardless of who you may support, do you think ___________________ has the kind of personality and temperament it takes to serve effectively as president, or not?

Mitt Romney

• Yes 67%
• No 26%

Newt Gingrich

• Yes 61%
• No 33%

Ron Paul

• Yes 37%
• No 51%

If elected, do you think _____________________ would pursue policies that most people in this country would accept, or do you think he would pursue policies that most people would find unacceptable?

Mitt Romney

• Accept 71%
• Find unacceptable 22%

Newt Gingrich

• Accept 66%
  
• Find unacceptable 28%

Ron Paul

• Accept 42%
  
• Find unacceptable 46%

Just between Gingrich and Romney, who do you think is closer to you on the issues?

• Mitt Romney 46%
• Newt Gingrich 45%

Survey of 395 registered Republicans and GOP-leaning independents was conducted December 15-18, 2011.  The margin of error is +/- 6 percentage points.  Results from the poll conducted October 31 - November 3, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted September 29 - October 2, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted August 29 - September 1, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted July 14-17, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted June 2-5, 2011 are in curly brackets. Results from the poll conducted April 14-17, 2011 are in square brackets.