Frontrunner Mitt Romney is seeing his support decline while Ron Paul is seeing his star rise in New Hampshire according to the latest Suffolk University tracking poll.
According to Suffolk's daily tracking results, Governor Romney is now the first choice of thirty-five percent of likely New Hampshire Republican Primary voters. That is a significant decline of four points in just one day of polling. Conversely, Congressman Paul has further solidified his second place standing with twenty percent of New Hampshire voters now saying Congressman Paul is their first choice. Paul has gained three percentage points in the Suffolk poll since yesterday.
This trend line may be suggesting that New Hampshire Independents, the Granite State's largest voting bloc, may be leaving Governor Romney and breaking for Congressman Paul. This news is undoubtedly making the Romney camp nervous.
Congressman Paul landed in New Hampshire on Friday and has been barnstorming the state since he has been here. He is drawing large crowds of supporters wherever he goes. His campaign team has solicited the support of legions of youthful volunteers to buttress his ground game throughout the state. Some political observers have commented that Paul's liberty-inspired campaign is more like a social movement. It is the Republican corollary to the 2008 Obamamania campaign that energized so many people that had no previous connection to politics.
In the Suffolk poll, former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman has seen his support rise by a couple of percentage points, although his support still stands at only eleven percent. Former Senator Rick Santorum has seen his support drop by one percentage point to eight percent in this poll, which suggests his message has not taken hold since he landed in New Hampshire after his good showing in Iowa. Santorum's socially conservative message does not seem to be swaying New Hampshire voters.
The apparent downward trend for Governor Romney and upward trend for Congressman Paul may mean the results are going to be tighter on Tuesday than many people think.
Comments