Breaking New Hampshire: Ron Paul 21% Pulls Ahead Of Gingrich 16%!

Republicans Debate — Republican presidential candidates Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich laugh at a presidential debate at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011. (AP Photo/Scott Eells, Pool)

New Hampshire
Likely Republican Primary Voters	Dec 11-14 2011

Bachmann	4%
Gingrich	16%
Huntsman	13%
Johnson	–
Paul	21%
Perry	2%
Roemer	*
Romney	35%
Santorum	1%
Other	–
Undecided	8%

Mitt Romney continues to lead the New Hampshire Republican Presidential Preference Primary with 35%. Jumping into second place is Ron Paul with 21%. Newt Gingrich is now in third place with 16% and Jon Huntsman is in fourth place with 13%.

Breaking News:

In April, support for Romney was at 32%. Romney was at 29% in June, 30% in September, and 33% in November.

Romney leads among registered Republicans with 44% (up from 36% in November), followed by Gingrich at 20% (down from 25% in November) and Paul at 15% (up from 8% in November). Among undeclared voters (independents), Paul now leads with 30% (up from 19% in November), followed by Huntsman at 25% (up from 14% in November), Romney at 22% (down from 26% in November), and Gingrich at 10% (down from 19% in November).

Romney leads for the first time among Tea Party supporters with 44% (see Tom Thomson‘s endorsement), followed by Paul at 19% and Gingrich at 17%. Among those likely voters saying they are not Tea Party supporters or that they are undecided about the Tea Party, Romney leads with 31%, followed by Paul at 22%, Huntsman at 18%, and Gingrich at 16%.

Paul supporters tend to be younger (age 25-44), undeclared (independent) voters who play back this “kooky” Paul television ad (older Paul supporters like the “Ron Paul Family Cookbook”). In this survey, these Paul voters say they are as likely to vote on January 10 as registered Republicans.

Details from the survey of 600 likely Republican primary voters conducted December 11-14 can be found here.

American Research Group