An American Research Group poll released Thursday shows former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich holding a commanding lead in Florida over the rest of the pack of Republican presidential candidates.
It's the third poll released this week that finds Gingrich dominating the rest of the field in the Sunshine State, which holds its primary on Jan. 31, putting itfourth in the procession of states that will determine who will challenge President Barack Obama in 2012.
Gingrich, who led polls earlier in the week by InsiderAdvantage and Public Policy Polling, takes 50 percent in the American Research Group poll. Former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, who took second place in the Florida primary in 2008 with 31 percent, places second with 19 percent. Businessman Herman Cain, like Gingrich based out of neighboring Georgia, stands in third place with 10 percent. Cain won the Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando in September.
The rest of the field trails in low single digits.
Former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah, who had based his campaign in Orlando before moving it to New Hampshire, places a distant fourth with 3 percent. Two candidates from Texas -- U.S. Rep. Ron Paul and Gov. Rick Perry -- each take 2 percent. Paul placed fifth in the 2008 Florida primary, taking less than 3.25 percent of the vote.
Three candidates -- U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, former Gov. Buddy Roemer of Louisiana and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania -- take 1 percent. Roemer, who announced on Wednesday that he will run for the Americans Elect nomination as well as the Republican one, will not be on the ballot in the Sunshine State. Former Gov. Gary Johnson of New Mexico takes less than 1 percent. One percent back other candidates while 10 percent remain undecided.
The poll of 600 likely Republican primary voters was taken Nov. 27-30 and had a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.
Cain had rocketed to the top of national and state polls after the Presidency 5 event, but his campaign has been plagued with gaffes and accusations that the candidate engaged in sexual harassment and extramarital affairs. Cain led in ARGs poll in October with 34 percent, with Romney in second at 28 percent and Gingrich a distant third with 11 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
