The stakes are high as Florida Republicans hit the polls on Tuesday to help determine which Republican hopeful will challenge Democrat incumbent President Barack Obama in November.
The first three states in the procession of caucuses and primaries offered split decisions on the candidates. Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania scored a narrow upset win in the Iowa caucus over former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, who went on to win the New Hampshire primary. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich won the South Carolina primary.
Based on recent polls, Romney has bounced back after Gingrichs win in South Carolina and now holds a commanding lead in Florida. While Gingrich stands in second, the other two surviving candidates -- Santorum and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas -- have already pulled out of Florida and are focusing on other states.
According to a poll of likely Florida Republican primary voters released on Monday from Suffolk University and 7NEWS (WSVN-Miami), Romney is headed for a big win in Tuesdays primary.
Romney takes 47 percent in the poll followed by Gingrich with 27 percent. Santorum stands in third with 12 percent followed by Paul with 9 percent. Five percent are undecided.
It is almost certain that Mitt Romney will top his 39 percent showing in New Hampshire, said David Paleologos, the director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center This poll also tells us that Romney could reverse and exceed Newt Gingrichs percentage and margin in South Carolina -- and do it in Gingrichs backyard.
The poll of 500 likely Florida Republican primary voters was taken Jan. 28-29 with a margin of error of +/- 4.4 percent.
A Rasmussen Reports poll of likely Florida Republican primary voters released Monday shows that Romney holds a commanding lead in the Sunshine State.
The poll has Romney out in front with 44 percent followed by former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 28 percent. Santorum stands in third with 12 percent followed by Paul with 10 percent. Five percent remain undecided, while 1 percent back other candidates. Twenty-one percent say they can still change their mind before the primary.
The poll of 750 likely Florida Republican primary voters was taken Jan. 28 and had a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.
Romney tore through the Sunshine State on Monday with appearances in Jacksonville, Dunedin and The Villages. On Tuesday night, he will be in Tampa and will address supporters there.
Gingrich was also in Jacksonville on Monday to kick off a swing around the state with Michael Reagan, the son of conservative icon Ronald Reagan.They campaigned in Pensacola, Orlando, and Fort Myers on Monday and were joined in Tampa by former presidential candidate Herman Cain, who won the Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando in September. Cain endorsed Gingrich over the weekend. The Gingrich camp will be in Orlando on Tuesday night as the results come in.
The other two candidates, fading in the polls in Florida, focused on other states on Monday. Santorum gave a jobs speech in Cottleville, Mo., before holding a town hall meeting at a Pizza Ranch -- a chain he is very familiar with after his grassroots win in Iowa -- in Luverne, Minn. When Florida Republicans vote on Tuesday, Santorum will be holding a campaign rally in Lone Tree, Colo., and will watch the results come in at an event in Las Vegas. Paul will also be in Colorado on Tuesday and will watch the results come in at Henderson, Nev.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
