Governor Mike Huckabee
If the Republican candidates for President next year were Mitch Daniels, Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney, and John Thune who would you vote for?
Mitch Daniels ………………………………………….. 1%
Newt Gingrich …………………………………………. 13%
Mike Huckabee ……………………………………….. 30%
Sarah Palin …………………………………………….. 15%
Ron Paul ………………………………………………… 6%
Tim Pawlenty ………………………………………….. 4%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 18%
John Thune…………………………………………….. 3%
Someone else/Undecided…………………………. 10%
With Mitt Romney dominating the early New Hampshire primary race in a recent PPP poll, Iowa’s caucus will be an important early opportunity for an alternative candidate to emerge heading into New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada (where today’s release also shows Romney with a significant lead). Mike Huckabee and Romney took first and second place, respectively, in the Iowa caucus three years ago, and remain in those same spots in an early look at next year’s race. Luckily for Huckabee, he has retained a little more of his strength than has Romney.
After taking 35% of delegates in 2008, Huckabee now earns 30% of the first-choice votes to Mitt Romney’s 18%. Romney earned 25% in 2008. Romney is followed by Sarah Palin’s 15%, Newt Gingrich’s 13%, Ron Paul’s 6%, Tim Pawlenty’s 4%, John Thune’s 3%, and Mitch Daniels’ 1%.
Huckabee would be bolstered by the other candidates’ supporters, if they are not viable in a particular caucus, getting twice as many (19%) second-choice votes statewide as Romney (9%) does. Palin (13%) and Gingrich (12%) could also benefit a little.