While Texas Gov. Rick Perry is leading the field of Republican presidential hopefuls in most national polls, GOP voters in New Hampshire -- home of the first primary -- appear to be solidly behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
Romney led three polls, released this week, by a wide margin -- though two of the polls showed his chief rival, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, in second place while the other had U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas as the runner-up.
Rasmussen Reports released a poll on Friday that showed Romney lapping the field in the Granite State, with the support of 39 percent of those polled, followed by Perry at 18 percent and Paul with 13 percent.
Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who served as ambassador to China before entering the presidential race, stood fourth with 7 percent, while U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota took fifth with 5 percent. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and fellow Georgian businessman Herman Cain were tied with 4 percent. Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania took 2 percent.
The Rasmussen poll of 750 likely New Hampshire Republican primary voters was taken on Sept. 21 and had a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.
Romney also topped a poll released by the American Research Group on Thursday, taking 30 percent. The two Texans placed second and third, with Perry taking 13 percent and Paul garnering 12 percent. Huntsman once again broke double digits, taking fourth place with 10 percent.
The rest of the field trailed in single digits. Bachmann was in fifth place with 7 percent while Georgia businessman Herman Cain, Gingrich and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin -- who has not officially entered the race -- all tied for sixth with 4 percent. Santorum followed with 2 percent and former Gov. Buddy Roemer of Louisiana took 1 percent. Former Gov. Gary Johnson of New Mexico was included in the poll and took less than 1 percent.
The American Research Group poll of 600 likely New Hampshire Republican primary voters was taken from Sept. 16-21 and had a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.
Meanwhile, according to a Suffolk University/7NEWS (WHDH TV) poll released late Wednesday, Romney was comfortably ahead among New Hampshire Republicans, taking 41 percent of those surveyed, with Paul in second with 14 percent. Huntsman stood in third with 10 percent.
The rest of the candidates -- or potential candidates -- trailed in single digits. Perry took fourth place with 8 percent followed by Palin with 6 percent.Bachmann garnered 5 percent and Gingrich followed with 4 percent. Santorum andRoemer took 1 percent. Cain was not included in the poll.
Mitt Romney is saying get out of my back yard and making New Hampshire his strong firewall despite showing some weakness in the other states early primaries, Political Research Center Director David Paleologos said in a statement released with the poll results. The anti-Romney candidate at this point could be either Ron Paul, who has polled consistently over the past year, or Jon Huntsman, whose numbers are really growing in the Granite State.
Romneys added strength in the second-choice question reduces the probability that any other candidate will be able to mobilize and capture all of the non-Romney voters as well as the undecided voters, Paleologos added. Romney is not only the overwhelming first choice, but he also has a competitive edge as a fallback option among voters who support other candidates.
The poll of 400 likely New Hampshire Republican primary voters was taken from Sept. 18-20 and had a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
