A new poll from Gravis taken on behalf of Townhall.com shows former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush -- especially if former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney stays out -- is set to be a player in the Iowa caucus, the first in the procession of states that will determine the Republican presidential nominee in 2016. But the same cant be said of another politician from the Sunshine State, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.
Romneys camp has been active this past week as buzz builds that he could seek the presidency a third time. Bush announced last month that he was launching an exploratory bid and last week he set up a leadership PAC to further his presidential ambitions. Rubio is expected to make an announcement about his 2016 plans in the first quarter of the new year.
The poll of Iowa Republicans shows Romney ahead with 21 percent followed by Bush with 14 percent. Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wis., takes 10 percent followed by former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., who beat Romney in Iowa in 2008, with 9 percent. U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, takes 8 percent while U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, pulls 7 percent. Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., takes 5 percent, the same as U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who announced Monday he will not run in 2016. Rubio gets 4 percent.
Despite losing in Iowa to Huckabee in 2008 and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., in 2012, Romney is the man to watch, insists Doug Kaplan, the managing partner of Gravis Marketing.
Former Massachusetts Gov. W. Mitt Romney has never left the hearts and minds of Republican voters and he will hold the dominant position in the race for the 2016 presidential nomination until the other candidates spin up their own campaigns, Kaplan said.
Romneys name recognition and the loyalty Republicans have for their last nominee give him an opportunity that no one else has, Kaplan added. The question is, whether he will use (it) or let the chance pass to others.
The poll of 404 registered Iowa votes was taken from Jan. 5-7 and had a margin of error of +/- 3 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
