New Poll Shows Mitt Romney Leading the GOP Pack in New Hampshire

A poll from Suffolk University unveiled late Wednesday shows that former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts was crushing the field in New Hampshire

Today, Mitt Romney is the clear front-runner in the New Hampshire Republican Primary but front-runner status has its drawbacks, said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. He will quickly become the target, and like Hillary Clinton a year before the 2008 party primaries, being positioned as the inevitable nominee is often followed by a decline in the polls.

Romney took 35 percent in the poll, with three candidates -- former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and businessman Donald Trump -- in second with 8 percent. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin took fifth with 7 percent, with former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas coming right behind her with 6 percent. Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota took 5 percent, and U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia were tied with 3 percent. The rest of the pack trailed behind.

The poll of 400 likely Republican primary voters was taken from April 30-May 2 and had amargin of error of +/- 4.9 percent.