Romney surges ahead in New Hampshire, new poll shows

Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain

/ AP Photo/Evan Vucci

A new Harvard and St. Anselm poll shows former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney ahead of his nearest competitor by 18 percentage points in New Hampshire, the first primary state, and it reveals support for Texas Gov. Rick Perry dropping precipitously.

Romney was favored by 38 percent of likely Granite State voters in the Republican primary, ahead of second-place Herman Cain, the former the Godfather's Pizza executive, who got 20 percent. Libertarian Rep. Ron Paul placed third with 13 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich came in fourth with 5 percent, and Perry and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman tied for fifth place with 4 percent each.

The poll results were especially dismal for Perry, who just a few weeks ago was tied with Romney for front-runner status, but whose fortunes have declined with a string of weak debate performances. The results also confirmed other recent surveys showing Cain gaining strength, although he was once dismissed at having no chance in the Republican primary field.

Huntsman has made New Hampshire the focus of his campaign, saying he must win there to be competitive, but the poll shows him making little traction despite repeated visits to the state's towns and hamlets. The survey also confirmed the downward spiral of Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann since winning the Iowa GOP straw poll in August, although she has not targeted New Hampshire as intensely as Huntsman. Bachmann got just 3 percent support from likely GOP voters.

The candidate ballot test appears far from settled, according to the survey-takers. Only 10 percent of likely primary voters say that they are "definitely" voting for Romney, while 6 percent say the same about Cain. Just 14 percent report they are "very satisfied" with the field of candidates. However, the likely primary voters appear confident that Romney can beat President Obama in a general election matchup, with 72 percent saying Romney would win and 20 percent saying Obama would win.

The survey was conducted for the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at St. Anselm College and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. It was conducted from Oct. 2 to Oct. 6 and consisted of telephone interviews with likely Republican primary voters. It has a 4.4 percent margin of error.

[hillarynow]

Romney is not the answer, neither is no class fat slob Christie or Herman Cain. Republicans are all the same in the end, cut taxes for the wealthy, deregulate and make America unsafe, ship jobs overseas, eliminate benefits for the poor and middle classes, poison the environment, start wars we can't afford, etc etc etc.. they all believe in the same vision, whether Mormon or Christian doesn't matter. No, the only thing President Barack Obama is guilty of is reaching out to these greedy, obnoxious, foul minded, pinhead Republicans who never planned to work with him from day one. The President finally sees them for the self serving obstructionists these wealthy racist Republicans are. He finally realizes you cannot work with evil men whose only goal is to destroy him and America as well. Therefore the only answer is to eliminate all Republicans from Washington on election day. Vote all Democrat and give the President a real majority he can work with so he can advance his bills, like this seriously needed jobs bill, and save America from ruin.

[cloopy]

the obama media doesnt seem to be attacking cain with the same amount of vile vitriol as they use against any other obama opponent,but cain lacks foreign policy/leadership experience,enter newt gingrich!!although the obama media,msnbc,cnn had newt dead and burried early on i think newt with his brilliant debate skills cant gain some major ground tonite,newt needs to hit romney hard,then perry then very indirectly shut down cain,not directly though all newt needs to do is over emphasize his extensive record/resume!!!the pro obama media rarely if ever mentions newt gingrich!!do they know newt is the only republican candidate who can withstand the viscious attacks that are to come from msnbc/cnn to any republican nominee opposing obama,and whats with this wall street riot?i hear theyre are costing the city over 100,000 per week! my nieghbor just returned,says its filthy,booze,drugs,sex mini woodstock,and they all have very vague views,many of them dont even know why they are theyre,is this just a nationwide effort on behalf of the cable news obama media to divert attention from the miserable condition of the us,why arent we hearing the obama media talking about fast and furious/solyntra?

[JV1970]

Here's some good advice to you! If you want people to read and understand your comments it would be a good idea if you stopped typing in all lower case letters and learned to use capital letters!

[doneinone]

For people who say Herman Cain can't do well in the south....

Poll SC Primary
Herman Cain 26%
Romney 25%
Perry 15%

I live in Georgia and can tell you that Herman Cain will sweep Ga. I doesn't hurt that this is where his talk show was anchored.

[JV1970]

Georgia isn't the only Southern state that he'll sweep! I think he'll sweep at least two or three more!

[formerusmcsgt1]

It'll be interesting to see how Cain does with southern repubs.

I'm thinkin he won't do that well.....

[JV1970]

Since I AM one of those Southern "repubs", I think he'll do much better than you think!

[doneinone]

I live in Georgia and he is going to wipe the floor with the other candidates.

[PourpaixPourpaix]

Nice to see the Republicans becoming less unsensible. As the Tea Party buzz fades like a really bad hangover, so do memories of those ridiculous bells and other idioms of the junior McCarthy league.

[JV1970]

If you think they're fading I think you're going to get a terrible shock on election day next year!

[msimamaji]

At the beginning of this month, banks all across the country announced a series of new fees.
On October 5, three Republican Congressmen, Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan, and Kevin McCarthy are starting a SuperPAC.

These two events are not merely coincidences. The banks are raising fees to provide generous campaign contributions to the SuperPac. They want to eliminate all the rather modest reforms that Obama has created.

Basically the Wall Street Banksters and Koch Brothers are staging the GOP contest to see which candidate can lie most effectively to the public. Regardless of who wins the GOP nomination, the results will be the same.

The Banksters will find all sorts of ingenious ways to rob you blind. If you have a 401K, kiss that money good-by. The Banksters will drain it - and no one, absolutely no one will stop them from doing so. The Koch Brothers will poison the environment with toxic chemicals. Since the GOP will eliminate Obama-care, and since employers will stop providing health insurance to their employees, millions of people will be at the mercy of private, for-profit insurance companies. Because of toxic chemicals, many people will lose their health insurance and they will be left to die.

This is your future if you vote Republican. I'm giving you a fair warning.

This is a good reason to join OccupyWall Street. It's also a good reason to re-elect Obama, and elect a Congress that will work with him, rather than against him.

[signseeker1717]

OK, Cantor, Boehner, McConnell, the time has come for YOU to "eat cake" and wash it down with "tea" at a very different "party". Work with the President, pass a JOBS BILL, or join the ranks of the unemployed "MOB". The storming of the Bastille is here. Be afraid, be VERY afraid.

[msimamaji]

Remember, Bain Capital? That's where Mitt Romney made his money. Basically, he bought up businesses, looted the employee pension funds to provide bail-outs for CEO's and then had the company file for bankruptcy. The rich got the money; the employees were left penniless.

This is your future, when Romney gets elected. Since he will eliminate all banking reforms, Wall Street Banksters will loot your 401k, and leave you penniless.

So if you want to give everything you on to the Wall Street banksters, vote GOP in 2012.

[doneinone]

you need to check John Kerry and 401k secret plan. He was meeting with members of Congress 2 years ago to try and bilk Americans out of their 401k's and replace them with 3% government bonds. Why because government is broke and 401's are the biggest slush funds they can get their grubby hands on. If dems ever get full control again you should be very worried if you hold a pension or 401k. It was done in Argentina and they were floating the idea here as well.

[doneinone]

GOP-ead the post idiot.
The previous one said Wall Street Banksters and GOP will leave you pennliless.
I countered that and said if the dems get it what there plans would be with 401's. It is the truth. But I'm sure you have nothing to worry about.

[lucifersshadow]

Sure . . .let's put Mr. Corporations are people and Mr. It's your fault if you are not rich, together on one ticket and see what we get back . . . it certainly won't be votes!

[PourpaixPourpaix]

Smartest thing we ever did when we kicked Godfather's Pizza out of our community. Not one within 75 miles, and it feels good now that I find out more about da ex-Boss.

[sharkboy234]

herman cain will have a historic sweep he will whe primary lets compare ron paul mitt romney and others to hitler.

[canislupus16]

sharkboy, huh?

Can you check your grammar and spelling, and use punctuation when you post?

[doneinone]

The media has tried to say that if Obama does not get re-elected their might be rioting in the streets (playing the race card of coarse) How on earth can rioting be justifed when Herman Cain wins the election?

[signseeker1717]

"THERE" of "COURSE" is the dilemma.

[JV1970]

GOPeconomicterror You're right! YOU don't know! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!