Rick Perry Leading GOP 2012 Field in Florida

With the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) hosting a straw poll as part of its Presidency 5 meeting next week in Orlando, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas is in solid shape in the Sunshine State.

Perry topped an Insider Advantage/Florida Times Union poll released on Thursday with 29 percent. Former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, who has downplayed the P5 straw poll, placed second with 20 percent.

The rest of the field trailed in single digits. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia took third with 9 percent followed by U.S. House Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, who has also downplayed the straw poll, in fourth with 8 percent. Businessman Herman Cain, who is increasingly active in Florida, stood in fifth placed with 6 percent followed by U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas who took 5 percent. Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania garnered 2 percent. Despite basing his campaign in Orlando, former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah lagged behind with 1 percent.

The poll of 456 Republicans was taken on Tuesday, Sept. 15,and had a margin of error of +/- 4.5 percent.