Huckabee gets most Republican support for 2012

November 5, 4:13 PMNebraska Opinion Polls ExaminerOliver VanDervoort

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Possible presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich
(AP Photo/Steven Senne)

A new Gallup poll shows Mike Huckabee as the favorite among Republicans in the 2012 Presidential elections polls, with Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin tied for second.

Among Republicans, when asked: "Would you seriously consider supporting each for President?" Mike Huckabee got the most support with 71 percent of Republicans answering yes, compared to 25 percent saying no. Mitt Romney came in second with 65 percent saying yes and 31 percent saying no, and Sarah Palin came in close third with 65 percent also saying yes to her, but a slightly higher 33 percent saying no.

Former leader of the "Republican Revolution", Newt Gingrich also garnered 60 percent saying yes, but the poll was not good news for a couple of dark horse GOP candidates. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who many consider a rising star in the party gained only 32 percent of Republicans saying they would seriously consider supporting him, compared to 48 percent saying they would not. Georgia Governor Haley Barbour came in a distant sixth in the poll with just 26 percent of Republicans saying they would support him, and 52 percent saying they would not.

While the Republican party has hailed this week's elections as the beginning of the "Republican Renaissance" the poll numbers show the GOP still have ground to make up.

When including Democrats and Independents in the poll sample, only 40 percent of respondents say they would seriously consider voting for Huckabee, 39 percent would consider supporting Romney, and only 31 percent would consider Palin. Newt Gingrich gained only 29 percent saying they would seriously consider supporting him, and Pawlenty and Barbour both scored less than 20 points.

While the Democrats served as the polar opposites to the Republicans support numbers, the GOP should be concerned no more than 40 percent of independents support any of the Republicans. Huckabee and Romney tie for the lead in potential support among independents with 40 percent, followed by Palin at 32 percent and Gingrich at 28 percent.

In addition the poll respondents were asked if they felt the Republican candidates were qualified to be president. Only Mike Huckabee scored 50 percent, compared to 36 percent who feel he isn't qualified, with Mitt Romney coming in second at 49 percent. Newt Gingrich leapfrogged Sarah Palin with 44 percent saying he was qualified, and the former Governor of Alaska getting just 31 percent thinking she is qualified.