The 2012 sweepstakes are still close (in a very far kind of way), but according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll, we've got a bit of separation.
Republican preference:
1. Mike Huckabee 29%
2. Mitt Romney 24%
3. Sarah Palin 18%
4. Newt Gingrich 14%
5. Undecided 7%
6. Some other candidate 6%
7. Tim Pawlenty 4%
Key points:
a. While Huck leads in voter preference, he and Mitt Romney share the top spot in favorability ratings at 78%. Sarah Palin's at 75%.
For Palin, it's a slight dip. Even though she's frequently in a near, three-way tie with the front-runners, she's often been the most popular Republican.
b. Another way of measuring a candidate's strength is by testing how polarizing they are. And even though all the Republicans polled are popular, both Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich appear to be the most polarizing.
21% of Republicans would least like to see Palin win the nomination; while 20% say the same about Newt.
On the other hand, only 8% would least like to see Huck win, and 9% Romney.
b. 81% of voters say it's at least somewhat likely the GOP nominee will beat Barack Obama.
c. Romney continues to look like the more secular candidate this time, as he leads among voters who are less likely to attend church.
And Mike Huckabee continues to turn the CW on its head among evangelical voters.
Generally, Palin's considered to be the front-runner w/the demo, but Rasmussen says Huck has a "huge lead" among evangelicals (no word on how huge yet).
The phenomenon was also spotted in a July WaPo/ABC poll, in which Huck beat Palin among white evangelicals by better than 2:1.
Maybe Going Rogue's spiritual component can help put a bit more spirit into that demo and things will even out.
But still, Mike Huckabee continues to defy odds.
According to Public Policy Polling's monthly polling, Huck has fared best against Barack Obama for 6 consecutive months.
He won the Values Voter Summit straw poll over Mitt Romney and Co. by better than 2:1.
In late September, AllahPundit wondered:
.... is he [Huckabee] just drawing good vibes as the funny, genial southern guy, in contrast to the more polarizing personas of Palin and Romney?
Those weekly, Saturday night campaign ads seem to be working.
