Poll Watch: POLITICO/George Washington University 2012 Battleground Poll

POLITICO/George Washington University 2012 Battleground Poll

REPUBLICAN NOMINATION

• Rick Santorum 36% [2%] (5%)
• Mitt Romney 34% [25%] (17%)
• Newt Gingrich 13% [14%] (5%)
• Ron Paul 7% [5%] (10%)
• Unsure/Refused 10% [9%] (11%)

Second Choice

• Rick Santorum 34% [4%] (5%)
• Mitt Romney 27% [20%] (17%)
• Newt Gingrich 22% [20%] (5%)
• Ron Paul 10% [8%] (10%)
• Unsure/Refused 6% [9%] (11%)

I would like to read you a list of issues that some people have said are important to them. Please listen as I read the list and tell me, for each one, which candidate would best handle this issue:

Jobs

• Mitt Romney 41%
• Rick Santorum 27%
• Newt Gingrich 13%
• Ron Paul 8%

The Economy

• Mitt Romney 42%
• Rick Santorum 23%
• Newt Gingrich 17%
• Ron Paul 13%

Defense and Foreign Policy

• Newt Gingrich 36%
• Mitt Romney 26%
• Rick Santorum 22%
• Ron Paul 6%

Social Issues

• Rick Santorum 43%
• Mitt Romney 30%
• Newt Gingrich 12%
• Ron Paul 7%

Balancing the Budget

• Mitt Romney 41%
• Newt Gingrich 20%
• Rick Santorum 20%
• Ron Paul 13%

No matter who you think you might support, which of the candidates do you think has the best chance to be elected President?

• Mitt Romney 56%
• Rick Santorum 28%
• Newt Gingrich 6%
• Ron Paul 2%

No matter who you think you might support, which of the candidates do you think has run the most negative campaign?

• Mitt Romney 40%
• Newt Gingrich 33%
• Rick Santorum 4%
• Ron Paul 4%

GENERAL ELECTION

• Barack Obama 53% [49%]
• Mitt Romney 43% [43%]

• Barack Obama 53%
• Rick Santorum 42%

Favorable / Unfavorable {Net}

• Barack Obama 54% / 42% {+12%}
• Rick Santorum 39% / 35% {+4%}
• Mitt Romney 37% / 52% {-15%}
• Ron Paul 31% / 46% {-15%}
• Newt Gingrich 26% / 63% {-37%}

Survey of 1,000 likely voters, including a subsample of likely GOP primary voters, was conducted February 19-22, 2012 by The Tarrance Group (R) and Lake Research Partners (D). The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points.  Results from the poll conducted November 6-9, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted August 28 - September 1, 2011 are in parentheses.