First Thoughts: Newt-mentum returns?
This new poll, conducted Jan. 13-17, reflects the narrowing race in South Carolina simply days before voting in the state, where Romney hopes to drag off victory once having won both previous nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire. completing that sort of trifecta could permit Romney to drive his opponents from the race.
The poll is additionally reflective of the closing momentum Gingrich is gratifying in South Carolina on the strength of additional pointed criticism of Romney and other GOP foes. Gingrich also won praise for a robust showing in Monday night's debate, a performance he is hoping to duplicate in an exceedingly debate on Thursday evening.
Gingrich's surge, though, has also prompted the Romney campaign to revive its offensive against the previous House speaker in hopes of parrying his momentum before voting this weekend.
To that finish, thirty five p.c of seemingly primary voters said they may modification their mind on a candidate before Saturday, versus fifty seven p.c who said they will positively vote for the candidate for whom they expressed support in the poll.
Rounding out the field in South Carolina are Santorum at sixteen p.c, Texas Rep. Ron Paul at 13 p.c and Texas Gov. Rick Perry at vi p.c.
NBC News and Marist college can release the results of a new poll conducted jointly on Thursday morning.
Looking ahead to consecutive primary, Florida's Jan. 31 primary, Romney enjoys a fair stronger advantage, consistent with CNN/TIME/ORC figures also released Wednesday.
Forty-three p.c of registered Republicans seemingly to vote in the Florida primary (which is proscribed to Republicans) said they back Romney. His next-closest competitors are Santorum at nineteen p.c and Gingrich at 18 p.c. 9 p.c of Florida Republicans would vote for Paul, who's not competing in the contest, whereas simply a pair of p.c commit to vote for Perry.
The Florida poll, that was also conducted Jan. 13-17, contains a five p.c margin of error. The sample of seemingly South Carolina primary voters contains a 4.5 p.c margin of error.
