The back and forth is starting the Sunshine State — former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney leads in a new snap poll of the Florida Republican primary audience from We Ask America, up on former House Speaker Newt Gingrich 34 – 32. Gingrich led in the first three polls conducted after his big win in South Carolina by between 9 and 5 points, so the new survey is the first to show possible slowing of Newtmentum. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum gets 9 percent and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) sees 8 in the new poll.
After adding the numbers to our TPM Poll Average, Gingrich’s lead tightens to 6.2 percent.
Granted, this poll was completed just minutes before another debate commenced–a forum where Gingrich often excels and Romney can display an equivocating persona. But we believe that Florida voters are still making up their minds and the next few days could make pollsters nauseous from heaving swells of change. A key indicator for us is that Romney one again easily leading the pack when we asked who voters thought would ultimately win the nomination without regard to their personal choice.
