Survey: Romney More Electable than Gingrich vs. Obama

By Jon E. Dougherty at 26 Jan 2012

(Newsroom America) -- A new survey released Thursday indicated that voters in Florida believe Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney is a stronger candidate in a match-up against President Obama than rival Newt Gingrich.

The poll, conducted by Suffolk University in Massachusetts, found that Romney led Obama among the Florida electorate by a margin of 47-42 percent. But when matched against Gingrich, a former House speaker, Obama came out on top by 9 points, 49-40 percent.

"Newt Gingrich is weak among Florida independents and likely Democratic voters compared to Romney," said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston.

"If Florida is one of six key states that swings the national election, independents in Florida hold that key, and this poll suggests that Newt won’t be able to secure Florida for his party," Paleologos said.

Gingrich also was not popular among voters. The survey found him with just a 29 percent favorable rating, compared to 58 percent unfavorable.

By contrast, the survey said, Romney had a favorable rating of 44 percent, compared to an unfavorable rating of 37 percent.

On the Web: Suffolk University survey

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