Raleigh, N.C. – Mitt Romney continues to lead the way in early national polling of Republican voters about who they’d like to see as their party’s nominee for President in 2012, although Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin continue to have strong levels of support as well.
Romney has 33% to 27% for Huckabee and 23% for Palin. Palin is actually the best liked of the early trio of front runners, with 66% of primary voters viewing her favorably to 55% for Huckabee and 54% for Romney. But that popularity isn’t translating into support for her to be President.
Huckabee has a strong advantage in the South with 37% to 25% for Palin and 23% for Romney. In the rest of the country the former Massachusetts Governor leads the way with a pretty consistent showing of 37-39% in the Northeast, Midwest, and West. Huckabee is second in the former two regions while Palin gets runner up honors in the latter.
Interestingly even though Palin has positioned herself as a bit of a thorn in the side of the Republican establishment, she polls poorly with voters who don’t like the direction of the party. With those folks she’s at just 16% to Romney’s 36% and Huckabee’s 29%.
“As we’ve gone state by state looking ahead to 2012 we’ve generally found Mike Huckabee ahead in the South and Romney leading everywhere else,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “The national numbers reflect that as well, but it’s important to remember that in April of 2006 we would not have expected John McCain or Barack Obama to end up as their party’s 2008 nominees. There’s a long way to go.”
PPP surveyed 400 self identified Republican primary voters from April 9th to 11th. The margin of error is +/-4.9%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
Complete results are attached and can be found at www.publicpolicypolling.com.
If you would like an interview regarding this release, please contact Dean Debnam at (888) 621-6988 or 919-880-4888.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mike Huckabee? If favorable, press 1. If
unfavorable, press 2. If you’re not sure, press
3.
Favorable……………. 55%
Unfavorable ………… 13%
Not Sure……………… 32%
Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Sarah Palin? If favorable, press 1. If
unfavorable, press 2. If you’re not sure, press
3.
Favorable……………………………………………….. 66%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 21%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 14%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mitt Romney? If favorable, press 1. If
unfavorable, press 2. If you’re not sure, press
3.
Favorable……………………………………………….. 54%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 24%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 22%
Q4 Do you approve or disapprove of the direction
of the Republican Party? If you approve, press
1. If you disapprove, press 2. If you’re not
sure, press 3.
Approve …………………………………………………. 51%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 28%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 21%
Q5 If the Republican candidates for President in
2012 were Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, and
Mitt Romney who would you vote for? If Mike
Huckabee, press 1. If Sarah Palin, press 2. If
Mitt Romney, press 3. If you’re undecided,
press 4.
Huckabee……………………………………………….. 27%
Palin………………………………………………………. 23%
Romney …………………………………………………. 33%
Undecided………………………………………………. 17%
Q6 Would you describe yourself as a liberal,
moderate, or conservative? If liberal, press 1. If
moderate, press 2. If conservative, press 3.
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 2%
Moderate………………………………………………… 25%
Conservative…………………………………………… 73%
Q7 If you are a woman, press 1, if a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 49%
Man……………………………………………………….. 51%
Q8 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1 now. If
you are 30 to 45, press 2. If you are 46 to 65,
press 3. If older, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 10%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 25%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 45%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
Q9
Northeast ……………………………………………….. 20%
South …………………………………………………….. 35%
Midwest …………………………………………………. 25%
West ……………………………………………………… 20%
