Poll: Mitt Romney atop fluid GOP race with 28%

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney talks to journalists after a campaign rally in Florence, South Carolina, Jan. 17, 2012.

/ Getty

CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.

A new CBS News/New York Times poll shows Mitt Romney has opened up a statistically significant lead among Republican primary voters across the nation trying to decide who should represent their party in this year's presidential election, but it's still a fluid race.

Romney gets 28 percent support among a fractured field of candidates, with Newt Gingrich in second with 21 percent, and Rick Santorum and Ron Paul (each coming off a strong early-state showings) nearly tied for third place with 16 and 15 percent, respectively.

The race is still tight race among some key groups, including Tea Party backers - the voters who powered the party's gains in 2010 Congressional elections and may yet prove pivotal in this race. They comprise 44 percent of Republican primary voters in this poll.

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Ginrich polls much more evenly with Romney among those Tea Party voters, with just a point separating the two men - 29 percent favor Romney and 28 percent support Gingrich.

As this and other polls have noted throughout the contest, the lion's share of voters - 74 percent - say they could still change their minds about whom to support - and so the race remains fluid.

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This poll was conducted by telephone from January 12-17, 2012 among 1,154 adults nationwide. 1,021 interviews were conducted with registered voters and 340 with voters who said they plan to vote in a Republican primary. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The margin of error for the sample of registered voters could be plus or minus three points and five points for the sample of Republican primary voters. The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

[bluetruckinla]

You got to be kidding ! I heard it before in the Kennedy - Nixon race but I am still shocked to hear " I am voting for him because he is handsome" . Wake up lady ! If Mitt Romney looks like Barbie's Ken that does NOT qualify Mitt Romney to be President of The United States. OMG how shallow ..............

Additionally pollster Towery said Gingrich is doing "substantially better" with men than Romney, 38 to 28, but the former House Speaker still faces a "gender gap," as women are still favoring Romney.

Please Ladies think about this. Ken Oups ! I mean Mitt Romney was empty whole companies into his pockets putting working women and men into the streets. Then sent their jobs to China and Mexico. Mitt Romney was also raided retirement funds and put the money in his pockets also robbing women and men of security in their Golden Years. Mitt Romeny is receiving the working women and men sweat and blood at a rate of over $51,000 DOLLARS a DAY as income !!!!! Anything goes to make a dollar is NOT Capitalism. The drug dealer or corporate raider are both wrong. The business venture was three separate parameters is it moral, ethical, or legal. The drug dealer is immoral and illegal. Mitt Romney is immoral and unethical. Mitt Romney is not and NEVER was in business to create jobs. Mitt Romney wants to make money and any human cost incurred is inconsequential. That includes human cost to women who think Mitt Romney should be President because he is handsome or looks like Ken.

Ladies PLEASE reconsider !!!!!!!!!!!!! A lot is a stake here.

[marciabarton]

I proudly voted for Mitt. I can't believe that South Carolina fell for the "Rebel" facade of Newt. If anything he is a rebel without a cause. He is not a conservative, he is an opportunist. Proof of that is his dealings with Freddie Mac. What does he know of commitment? He has been married three times. Give me a break! We need the financial wisdom of Mitt. Experience is life's greatest teacher.

I am a Floridian by birth. FLORIDA, VOTE RIGHT!

[xredfoxx]

I guess the Santorum recent drop in the polls is being caused by all the evngelicals leaving him after it has come out his wife lived with her boyfriend 20 years her senior out of wedlock and who also happened to be an abortion doctor.

I guess Santorum forgot to disclose this little tid-bit when talking to the pro-life groups. Oops.

[auvacom]

72% do NOT want Mitt-Millions

[auvacom]

AND the MAJORITY would rather vote THIRD PARTY than vote for Mitt OR Barack.

[rbailey001]

What you need to do is call the Mormon Missionaries -- young men and women that give two years of their lives telling people the truth about the Church -- they you would at least be informed to make comments -- nothing about what you have said is true -- it is just hogwash trash. Get the facts and then comment.

If you were to honestly read the Book of Mormon and feel of its spirit you would ba ashamed of what you have written. Get with the program -- you will someday or rest in Hell.

[hall709]

Wow, reading these comments really says allot about who actually pays attention to CBS!

[noloyalisti]

People like Robmee represent the Top 1% and many giant America corporations who have become parasites in this country. They suck out wealth without adding any value to the commons. They have figured out how to game the system to rape and pillage us all.

They are everything that is wrong with America and which must be vanquished by the 99% for us to survive.

[ProgressNow]

"Robmee"...I love it...can I use that too?

[pr_boxer]

Ron Paul, gets a solid 15%, that's his floor & ceiling, 15% period. Those of you who have got yourself all worked up over this kook, are in for a hard dose of "reality".

[noloyalisti]

Robmee is the Wall Street Banksters wet dream. Create a completely dominant rich, white master race while the rest of us scurry around for the rotten scraps. Robmee is the epitomy of what the greedy Top 1% see for America and for the earth. Endless wars for oil, higher taxes for the poor and middle class. Like the Bushoccio Crime Family but worse.

[Tired_of_liars]

Who the heck is Robmee? You really need help

[wdrussell1]

GOP, completely out of touch.
Mitt spent MLK Day partying with Kris Kobach who wants immigration limited to white people.

[Tired_of_liars]

Democrats are not much better