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Subscribe to RSSA new NBC News-Marist poll of NH Republicans shows Romney with a 20-point lead. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.
Just four days until Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney now enjoys a 20-point advantage over his nearest rival in the Granite State, according to a new NBC News-Marist poll conducted after his photo-finish victory in Iowa.
Click here to read the full NBC News-Marist poll results
The survey also shows a double-digit bounce since late November in the state for former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum – who trailed Romney by a mere eight votes in Iowa – as well as a 15-point decline for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
And it finds that New Hampshire voters have begun to make up their minds before the Jan. 10 contest, with six in 10 now strongly supporting their candidate of choice.
According to the poll, Romney gets the backing of 42 percent of likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire, including those leaning toward a particular candidate.
He’s followed by Texas Rep. Ron Paul at 22 percent, Santorum at 13 percent, Gingrich and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman both tied at 9 percent, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry at 1 percent.
More than a month ago – in an NBC-Marist poll conducted Nov. 28-30 – Romney stood at 39 percent, Gingrich at 24 percent, Paul at 16 percent, Huntsman at 9 percent, Perry at 3 percent and Santorum at 2 percent.
What’s more in this newest survey, 60 percent of likely voters say they strongly support their candidate of choice, up from 49 percent in the last poll. Just 11 percent say they might vote differently.
Electability and ideology help Romney
Electability and the state’s ideological makeup are helping Romney in New Hampshire.
Sixty-five percent of likely primary voters believe that the former Massachusetts governor has the best chance of beating President Barack Obama in November. And more than 60 percent of these voters prefer an electable nominee to one who is a true conservative.
Romney still underperforms among conservative voters, Tea Party supporters and evangelical Christians in the state -- but not to the extent he did in Iowa.
'Meet The Press' moderator David Gregory joins Brian Williams.
Indeed, he leads among very conservative voters (getting 30 percent to 27 percent for Santorum), Tea Party supporters (35 percent to Paul’s 25 percent) and evangelical Christians (31 percent to Santorum’s 30 percent).
In addition, there are fewer of these more conservative voters in New Hampshire than there were in Iowa.
“New Hampshire is a very different ballgame than Iowa,” says Lee Miringoff, the director of Marist College’s Institute for Public Opinion, which conducted the survey.
Paul’s low ceiling, debates matter
While Paul sits in second place in the NBC-Marist poll, he has a lower ceiling than Santorum has. Forty-three percent of likely voters find Paul unacceptable, versus 25 percent who say the same about Santorum.
Meanwhile, 44 percent find Gingrich unacceptable, and 54 percent find Perry unacceptable.
Just 16 percent of these voters say that Romney is not acceptable.
The poll also shows that the debates – and two more of them take place this weekend – have mattered to New Hampshire voters.
A combined 45 percent say they have helped decide their vote a “great deal” or a “good amount.” That’s compared with a combined 10 percent who say the same about the results from the Iowa caucuses, and a combined 20 percent who say the same thing about seeing the candidates in person.
Obama remains under water in New Hampshire
Finally, President Obama’s job-approval rating in New Hampshire stands at 40 percent among registered voters, which is identical to where it was in late November.
He carried New Hampshire by nearly 10 percentage points in the 2008 general election.
The NBC-Marist poll was conducted Jan. 4-5, and its margin of error for the 2,260 registered voters surveyed is plus-minus 2.1 percentage points. The margin of error for the 711 likely New Hampshire Republican primary voters is plus-minus 3.7 percentage points.
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Don't forget with Romney you get his membership in the Cult of Joseph Smith. The mere fact of his membership should disqualify him from the race.
Take a little time and read some of the crap Smith added to the New Testament....Golden Books, Angels in corn fields.
One of the last things Jesua Ben Joseph said to his followers was to beware of the false prophets who would follow him. And good old 1%'er Mitt believes in just such a prophet and the Mormon heresy spread by con-man Smith..
Don't be so hard on Mormon's. They are no different than the Christian cults.
It seems like it's no longer the secular crowd that is voicing opposition to the GOP, it's the atheists, or, dare I say this, Christian haters.............,,,after all, they voted a Muslim into the White House! :)
Chris, Mitt Romney pulls his holy long underwear on one leg at a time just like the next guy. He's no different than you and me.
I would support a Muslim if he was rightwing, an atheist scumbag if he was rightwing. Doesn't matter about the religion.
Romney's problem is his liberal Republican record.
If he was a rightwinger and Mormon and Santorum was Catholic and a liberal Repub, I'd take Romney.
lol @ the whole republicon party very humurous to me
Santorum surge hype is laughable
Make no mistake......IF Santorums rise was hurting the Mitt in any way, Romneys Super Pac friends would already be $moking Santorum
no doubt chris harris and this con believes in his cult
Wrong Timmy, I'm a non-theist.
And by the way your comment makes no sense.
the cons wont stop till the country is bankrupt . sad that the american people forgot their history
Wow, 20 points, huh? Go figure? Obama lite had this before the caucuses, he's back in his extremely liberal neighborhood, how can democrats not like this guy?
thats what happens when you vote party and not policy duh
Wrong again, Tim, Romney is a liberal they can count on!
Romneys a FREAK! Not to knock the GOP but is it too late for you guys to throw in Huckabee? All is Romney keeps saying over and OVER, OVER about Obama is "This is a President who doesn't understand how the economy works!.." He has nothing else to work with. Unless Iran stirs things up in the Strait or Hormuz in the next few weeks any debate between Romney and Obama will be a sleeper. Show some fangs Romney, show the country you want it, SHOW US YOU GOT A PAIR!! I mean I hate to say it but Romney could be the twin brother to Mr Nice Guy "Al Gore". Not much in the way of "backbone" if you know what I mean and if this man makes the White House he will be a "doormatt president", a yes man, and a puppet for the military who will surely walk all over him...
Why do I feel one of the biggest used phrases Romney will be using as President will be.. " No actually I didn't read the bill. Anyway.. where do you want me to sign this thing?.."
He's not GOP, Jim, he's Obama's whipping boy.
He's still a yes man and still a puppet..
Even just looking at his posture and the way he stands he looks like he's on the assembly line with the only thing left is for Japedo to hook the strings on him limbs. Just close your eyes and imagine for a minute what Romney would look like with strings on his wrists and knees, some big over sized wooden shoes and a bright red painted smile on his face. He's SO Pinochio!..
Speaking of puppets..Whose gonna be holding his strings? Cheney and Rumsfield held GWs. Whose gonna control this moron for the next 4 years?!..
Maybe Mr Soros, the one that currently holds the puppet strings? I don't know to tell you the truth.
Romney is running against Obama in the Democratic primary, right? There is no way he can be listed as a conservative!
Zing-er!
how does it not make sense he is a con and belongs to a cult he believes in
I thought New Hampshire was full of old-style fiscal conservatives that didn't care about right-wing social issues. Sorry to see that the conservatives in the state seem to have caught the Republican (bizzarro) Taliban disease.
Nope, wrong Jay, they just see a better liberal than what is in office now. Romney should be thrown out of the GOP.
"Forty-three percent of likely voters find Paul unacceptable, versus 25 percent who say the same about Santorum."
IF this statistic is accurate, I guess you could say the media is doing a good job of spreading lies about Ron Paul! My 70 year old parents believe the fear mongering despite the simple fact that 1) Ron Paul accurately forecasted what would happen to our economy and dollar today 2) has a flawless voting record against raising taxes for 3 decades. The media KNOWS if Ron Paul wins the Republican nomination, Obama has the worst chance of winning since Ron Paul speaks for the 50 and under crowd honestly: We do NOT want any more tax burdets placed upon us. We do NOT want our kids facing needless wars. We want to be economically strong again - strong US dollar! We want the truth and accountability. We want a future for our children which does not include wars and taxation. We want to return to what made the USA great in the first place!
Kym, he's got my vote, but, because of what you stated, he will never get elected. Americans do not want to so anything themselves, there for, he will not even get on the ticket.........................he's my write in!
There will be a third party candidate in 2012 if we the people are allowed to vote.
I want to start the "Radical Extreme Centralist Party"!
For Fanatical Moderates only! (We'll have a litmus test!)
Willard the rat still can't break the 50% level in a state that ought to know him well...does not bode well down the road...he just won't say enough crazy stuff to seal the deal with the medicare card carrying teabaggers..and the so called christians will never accept him as one of their own...LDS is a cult to them
Can a Political figure control who or what group endorses them? Those of you who think that is the case are STOIDI!
Ron Paul has been around the block with a lot of these Scumbags and through it all is still viewed as a man that continues to Fight for Liberty when most other would rather trampkle us under foot and steal what we have left!
The Constitution has been butchered and for the most part, without his ideas being bent and twisted around in one or another Political play, Ron Paul has always voted against all those bills he deemed UNCONSTITUTIONAL!
GO RON PAUL, Not many thought that you'd be this close!
I'm not afraid of him, it's all the other High and "mity" 1%ers running for office that don't listen to the emails and phone calls bombarding their offices from concerned VOTERS and vote against those who put them where they are.
Those Politicians that are Puppets Lobbyists better BEWARE! You're on the OUTS from your CUSHY seats!
Not one other Candidate looks WORTHY of my vote right now, they all just keep trying to throw garbage at Paul to try and make him go away!
He's many people's worst Nightmare, but in my eyes He's our best Hope for regaining control of this Country of OURS!
Read the Writing on The Wall and between the lines.
Common sense is not so common. To figure out what is true add up the things that make sense and subtract the things that do not make sense.
Every disgruntled Ron Paul supporter has told me they are writing Pauly in
May as well throw your vote away
Congressman Paul appeals to young people and Independents. If he does not win the Republican nomination, the young people and Independents will pick Obama over Romney.
Same as Obama over McCain in 2008.
Ron Paul 2012
If you vote, write in our not, it's not thrown away. Contrary to your belief, it's not a popularity contest, it's a vote for what America needs.
If RoSe'S are ReD and ViOLeTTe'S are BLuE than I will give my LOVE to YOU.
Live to love to give,
Jenasus Trinity Hawkins
All of the Republican contenders are wasting their time and money. Ain't nobody but God Almighty going to beat the Antichrist (Obama). Obama 2012. He needs another term to straighten out "Dubya's" mess.
Oh, wonderful, his shovel is diggin faster that when he was elected, that hole is reeeeeaaaalll deep, yet his constituents are right there with him, diggin away.
Things are begging to jell. Romney ALWAYS had a lead in NH, very close to home and kinda liberal. His "bump" was only 3%, not much if you ask me. Was good to see Paul get 6% increase. It could be a long primary season!
Nobody I know here in Manchester cares about Nit Wit Romney.
I'm looking for a candidate to support this year. My ideal candidate would be a senile 76-year-old racist. Do you suppose there's one out there somewhere?
Try http://www.seniordating.com
Paul will be in until the very end. He did itt in 2008. He also DID NOT ENDORSE MCCAIN.
New Hampshire Primary Tuesday, January 10th!!!
Vote Perry!
His bio is shows steady, progressive growth and development. He has proven bipartisan governing skills. He values the core originating values of the Boy Scouts. He's an agi u grad with an average GPA (If you're looking for an uber intellectual, not going to find it in Perry! Woo hoo!) He proudly served his country as an air force C-130 pilot from 73-77. He worked for a family business out in the cotton fields with daddy. Then realized, like many of us do, that the Democratic party wasn't the party of his values and turned to the elephants for wisdom.
As a Republican
He sat in the pit as a pit bull while serving in the Texas house of Reps. And there are times we need a pit bull fighting for America too. Perry used his degree from Agi U, ran and and was elected as Agricultural Commissioner of Texas from 90-98, he chose not to run for a third term. Ran and was elected to Lt Governor of Texas fropm 1998-2000. When Busch won the Presidential nominatin in 2000; Perry stepped up and became Governor.
He is still currently employed as Governor by the state of Texas. STILL WORKING a real job while campaigning. Who else can say the same? He's trying to govern a state coming off of some wild elemental destruction, fight the feds against unwarranted rules by the EPA, and run for President. He hasn't been all over the place and understandably so. The state of Texas is a big state. And running for President is also a big task.
But out of all the ones up there, Perry is the only one I believe that truly is proud, honored, and protective of the red, white and blue. More American to me than any of the others. So maybe not magna cum laude and "just" an agi grad. But he is a truly proud agi guy who has sworn to honor values in America. When I look at him I know there's more than one can see. But his heart is truthful and he does work for the greater good of mankind and is the best candidate for obtaining and sustaining true bipartisan governing in our Nation. He has successfully worked with task forces made up of his adversaries and together they resolved budget issues. TOGETHER. The education issue in the 90's wasn't pretty or easy but it was resolved in a bipartisan way.
His intentions are truly pro American. With values that are not extreme or destructive. I agree he is straight up with no b.s. and his words are sometimes mistaken to be harmful, but he truly loves America, rich and poor and I don't believe he would let us fail. We need somone who can delegate the stuff to people who are good at doing what they do and a President who is good at being a President. You know, the guy or gal who is NOT suppose to be in your face every day making rules, and laws, and policies that are stagnating and poisonous. A good President is someone I don't hear or see everyday. He/she should be behind closed doors with their cabinet heads and department heads and manning the ship so it's a well oil machine with high productivity and efficiency.
Perry is pro state's rights. Perry is pro low profile federal government. Perry is pro border security. Perry is pro happiness. Perry loves America.
VOTE PERRY for President
And let him bring on a whole new Administration.
Anyone that wants to slam me for who I'm voting for, it's okay. I never come back on the comment site after I've posted anyway so I won't know a thing that you say.
Whoever you vote for, just remember we all kind of need each other in order to be a happy place to be.
Governor Perry is George W. Bush on steroids:
"From 2001 to 2010, (Texas) state debt alone grew from $13.4 billion to $37.8 billion, according to the Texas Bond Review Board. That’s an increase of 281 percent. Over the same time, the national debt rose almost 234 percent." -- Mitchell Schnurman, Fort Worth Star Telegram
Perry is garbage on illegals, probably the worst of all of them, and another Texas bumbler that will embarass the right in debates and impromptu comments.
No thanks, we suffered through 8 years of hoping our guy could get the next sentence out smoothly, not doing it again.
didn't realize romney was from. , changes being made.....
Are shape shifters born? Or are they a result of Hollywood union writers?
The only place I've seen them is in the GOP & the "Twilight Saga"
Our the White House, Jim..........................didn't they do a great job with Obama's make up?
Obama is the only one who has showed a birth certificate
No comment.