With what appears to be a developing likelihood that Mitt Romney will enter the race for the White House, a fresh new poll has come out that is sure to throw a wet towel on the excitement of Team Bush.
Taken by Gravis Marketing last week, the poll of registered Republican voters in Iowa puts Mitt Romney at the top of all prospective candidates with 21% and well ahead of anyone else included in the poll.
At 18%, the second place finisher in the poll isn’t even a candidate. The ‘Uncertain’ option came in with 18% while Jeb Bush pulled into the third spot at 14%. Scott Walker, Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul and Ted Cruz filled out the second tier starting at 10% and descending from there.
Managing Director Doug Kaplan explained, “Romney’s name recognition and the loyalty Republicans have for their last nominee give him a opportunity that no one else has. The question is whether he will use or let the chance pass to others.”
The obvious point to note is that the poll was taken before Romney announced to a group of donors that he is seriously considering running again. The developments on the ground in the few days since almost certainly fuel the expectation that Romney will indeed run, which can only help his numbers and probably pull many of the ‘uncertain’ voters into his column.
What’s more, one has to expect that Romney’s support in New Hampshire, which he won in 2012, would be all the more likely to remain in his favor. If Romney can maintain influence in those first two among the early Republican primaries, the big fight could be over more quickly than many anticipate.
