(CNN) – A new national poll released Monday shows Newt Gingrich surging to a statistical tie with rival presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
The former House speaker now has the backing of 28% of registered Republicans to Romney's 29% nationwide, according to the latest results from Gallup's daily tracking poll.
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Voters were surveyed Wednesday through Saturday, mostly before and partially after Gingrich's South Carolina primary victory.
The poll was also done during a week with two strong debate performances for the former House speaker, with voters questioned partly before but mostly after the CNN/Southern Republican Presidential Debate on Thursday night - just two days before the primary.
Gingrich's new poll numbers mark a big boost from his standing a week ago, shortly after the New Hampshire primary when 14% of those surveyed said they would back the candidate, while 37% preferred Romney.
The results come as both candidates storm through Florida ahead of the Sunshine State's critical primary on January 31.
Team Romney has already sharpened its offense against Gingrich, as the former Massachusetts governor has been hitting the former speaker as an un-electable, "highly erratic" Washington insider. On Monday, Romney warned voters Gingrich could result in an "October surprise" should he make it to the general election as the party's nominee.
Gingrich, meanwhile, continues to paint Romney as a "Massachusetts moderate" who couldn't go toe-to-toe with Obama and argued Romney's latest attacks are an act of desperation.
"If you've been campaigning for six years and you see it slip away, you get desperate," Gingrich said Monday at a campaign even in Tampa, Florida.
The same Gallup poll shows less drastic changes for the other two candidates in the race. Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum had the support of 11%, down from 14% last week. Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who plans to largely skip campaigning in Florida, came in with 13% support, up one point from last week.
Gallup surveyed 1,221 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents by telephone Jan. 18-22, with a sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.
– CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Also see:
Romney takes aim at Gingrich in Florida
From CNN Politics
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People Please! Do you homework on Newt and DO NOT let this man in to the White House. You think things are bad now. If Newt gets in to power I guarantee you we will be at war with Iran and probably be sending troops back to Iraq. We will never get out of Afghanistan and there will be bread lines in the US because he will do everything he can to completely erase the middle class from the country. Please, please do you homework. This man is evil, mean and greedy. We do not need him anywhere in Washington, much less have the power that comes with the White House.
$40 million spent so far, and Mittens is clinging to 29% of the vote. It is good that the Kochs and Rove are going to bank roll him, as he is not much of a business man.
Wait til that Vegas mogul (Adelson) buys more power and influence by giving Gingrich another $5 MILLION or maybe $10 MILLION.
I am surprised that the Mittens' is only getting support from those making over $150,000. His bumper stickers should include, "15% for the 1%", "Housing, its not for everyone", "Let them fail," "Corporations are caring people," and "Everyone envies me,"
Obama is getting concerned and want democrats to vote for Romney. Obama does not want to heve to debate Gingrich.
Gonna get the same old same old if you pick anyone but Paul. Lobbyists are the biggest threats!
i love the fact that newt is doing good in this race because mitt been runing for president for about six years and will said anything to get elected.he has change position on just about everything.now having said,i would rather see mitt as president over newt because mitt is a moderate and newt will spread hate but if newt get nomination he loose BIG TO THE PRESIDENT,SO FOR ME IT WIN WIN FOR THE PRESIDENT.
Calgary Mike – You may be right. It is hard to have a response when Newt calls you a 'Mother Teresa Type Radical,' an 'Ice Cream Socialist,' a "Baseball, Apple Pie, Hot Dogs, and Chevrolet Union Thug,' and of course, "Obama Never Had It As Difficult As Mitt and I.'
Hey Ollie, IS NEWT-MITT PRESIDENT YET ?
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No Stan......and THEY ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT PEOPLE; ONE IS A NEWT and the other IS A MITT.
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What's the difference, Ollie ?
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One WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE US......and the other WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT OF US.
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Obama will wipe the floor with Gingrich in any debate.
Dems are laughing and waiting for Gingrich to be nominated.
It will be like when the Republicans nominated Goldwater.
Gingrich will lose 45–48 States in a general election against Obama.
Obama will win in a landslide against Gingrich
Gingrich is all hot air.
Gingrich has more excess baggage than the claim check area at the airport.
Republicans' only hope in the general election is Romney.
Otherwise, go back to the drawing board until 2016.
But what ALL these voters have is a HUNGER to get Obama OUT of the Whitehouse and the Democrats OUT of Congress. The American people have seen what Obama is and represents. Obama is a closet socialist and the Democrat Party has been taken over by left wing radicals. Now in Obama's State of the Union address Obama wants to remake our economy??? ""level the playing field"??? This from a clown that never ran a Lemonade stand!
American, WAKE UP!! Obama and the Democrats are a clear and present danger to this country and its economy.
Calgary Mike - Obama and we Democrats are not concerned about anyone the Greed Over People party has to offer. None of those left on the Clown Car Republican Island of Political Half-wits have a chance against Obama.
My Daddy used to say, "Son, the republicans will always bet against America, that's how money is made."
All Democrats including President Obama are celebrating. Newt or Romney doesn't matter because President Obama will win re-election no problem. With the exception of Ron Paul, the GOP/Tea Party choices for leaders are prime examples of the blind leading the blind. President Obama is happily married, has four years experience as Commander in Chief, he exterminated OBL without starting a war and without any casualties, and he is CHAMPION of the middle class. Enough said. He has my vote and he has raised a billion dollars mostly from small donations from everday voters just like myself instead of from billionaires he calls his friends. He has enough voters supporting him like it or not! Boop Boop De Doop!
I remember foreign owned media telling us in 2000, that it did not matter which candidate won, Gore or Bush. Too bad we couldn't have had a do over.
A vote for Newt is a vote for Obama. Go Newt!
Fall in line Hicks, the deal is seal and get ready to put your Mormon hats on.
It is a sorry stae that the repo party is in . One rich totally out of touch contender and one full of himself buffoon. Gee if newt wins do we call his wife the first mistress or the home wrecker? The high minded repos with all their family values have really gone into the toilet this time around. No ideas just nasty commentsa about each other and the president. Boner has already trashed the state of the union speack without having heard it. So much for the repos working to help America. Vote Obama 2012
Gingrich. is a wife cheater, takes kickbacks from lobbyist and yet the dorks from South Carolina vote for the dirt?? boy! oh. boy! Gingrich is not the right guy for 2012
watched the last debate. guys on stage looked more like a police line up than the future POTUS. thought to myself, first to the top of the loser pole wins i guess. can hardly wait 'til 2016. went to bed and had a nightmare one of these guys actually won the election.
obama vs all four...he will beat em all!
Folks, listen, Entire GOP idiots are Evil, Greedy, Corporate looters, they will never care for Middle Class Americans, They ship jobs overseas, they ban your social security, Medicare, Health care law, etc, Today nation is on right track. They send you to Iran, you, your sons, your daughters. Not their sons....Obama2012.
Does anyone remember that amusing avatar name Rep. Bachmann came up with one debate when she was trying to equivocate Gringrich and Romney as being one and the same? She kept referring in the 3rd person to a "Newt Romney."
One thing that I DO like about Newt is that he WILL call Obama and his policies socialist. He does not mince words when it comes to Obama. Romney might take a few lessons from Newt's approach. It could help him tremendously.
Voting for either one of them is like putting on the same underwear you wore yesterday as they both want a return of the Bush policies which were proven FAILURES. President Obama is bringing us out of this nightmare and I am not going to place these goons back in charge to finish destroying this country.
Nothing but the truth. The only danger to this country is the repo party. They spout nothing but hate lies every chance they can. It is not hard to see by the people they have campaingning . They have no morals and bashing the president will not change that fact . Actually it brings out the differences clearly. One day a historian now an adviisor? Come on why caymun islands? They are so full of themselves and the political process is showing them up for what they are. So keep trying to divert our attention by calling the president names we don't buy it.
Boop bopping de boop!! Right on:)
There was a guy in Germany in the 30's who got elected by some desperate folks. If we want to, we can have a similar guy in charge starting in Jan. 2013 (assuming the world doesn't end in Dec. 2012). All we have to do is let hatred and racism take over, vote for Nut Gangrene, and badda-bing.
I understand the dilemma. If you believe in the politics of the GOP you have to make this awful choice. Paul isn't going to make it. He's good in some ways, and extreme in others – also unelectable. Romney? Flipper. Grass roots doesn't like him and he's got limited TP support. Just can't get the win. And now Gingrich? no establishment support with a smarmy background. Santorum? Google problem and really extreme socially.
I sympathize. That's why I'm in the Democractic Party. Those are not solutions, those are problems you have there. I'm voting Obama 2012... and happily so. Err... good luck with that mess you have there.
i wonder if president obama had did what the now repub candidates are advacating that he should have let the country go to hell when we were losing 3/4 of a million jobs per month. when the country was declining at 9 percent, and the stock markets had gone to hell. i wonder if folks be walking around eating food out of trash can if a repub was at the helm. things that makes you go mmmmm.
Bringing our troops home, equal rights for women, equal constitutional rights for everyone, and tax rates the lowest in 50 years is now called 'socialist' programs by right wingnuts.
Wire Palladin, S. F. - My Daddy used to say, "Son, the republicans will always bet against America, that's how money is made."
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The apple doesn't fall far from the tree does it??!! Proof positive that insanity is hereditary.
The choice here is between a elitist, corporate lap-dog for the Koch brothers and a slimy, unethical, adulterous politician/lobbyist. On behalf of the Democrat Party I'd like to tahnk the Republicans for this generoius gift! Independents will have no problem voting for the Democrats given this ridiculous choice.
The more voters see of this absurd ugly primary, the more they'll be turned off by all of the Republican candidates and the party they represent. Not to mention the fact that, after the economy has added back another million jobs by the fall, whoever the Republicans nominate is going to look pretty stupid advocating a return to the Bush policies (even more so than they already do).
ROLMFAO. 'Grand Old Party indeed. Thanks for the laughs. – Giddy with glee, yours truly, DNC.'
Truth – any insult coming from you is like a badge of honor to intelligent people.
Republicans are the 'food stamp party.' Never in history have so many workers had their jobs shipped over seas, 8 million jobs lost in Bush's last three years, 160 million workers' wages have been stagnant while the upper 1% has seen their wealth double.
"Obama and the Democrats are a clear and present danger to this country and its economy."
That's a neat little psychological pretzel you've tied yourself up in, seeing as how it was your GOBP deathcult that went beyond "clear and present danger" and actually tanked our economy.
38.Wire Palladin, S. F.
Truth – any insult coming from you is like a badge of honor to intelligent people
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BAM!!!
Well said Wire! lol!
Myth MorNEY is DONE!
Stick a fork in him! With all of his million$$$ and the GOP elite backing him; coupled with his SUPER PACs THUGs throwing mud, this IDIOT still can't BUY the election...and ship the United States to CAYMEN ISLAND!!!
US will be a corporation under Myth MorNEY leadership....so invariably, the United States Corporation being people too, can be shipped to CAYMEN ISLAND!!!
LOL
Obama will mop the floor with Ginrich and use Romney for the stick.
In mein kampf hitler wrote “If you want to attract the sympathies of the broadest number of people,you must tell them the crudest and stupidest things”. Betcha Newt keeps a copy along side whoevers bed he is sleeping in
Truth and Nothing But the Truth: You must either be one of the crass 1 percenters, or you are a very narrow-minded repub. Sorry, neither of these two will beat President Obama.
proud voter for Obama. Obama2012.
Newt 2012
Romney doesn't connect with people, has trouble thinking spontaneously, and still garners about 25% in most races. If Santorum drops out, does anybody think that Romney will win many primaries? Unless Gingrich undoes himself, Romney is in trouble... So far it is Romney who has trouble with "insertion of foot in mouth"...
@Truth – Hmmmmm - Wasn't Newt's own mother bipolar also? I guess it IS inherited.
In a political quandary, not so far away.... "Afraid not of the Newt my DEM pâté won? You will be... you will be."
ATTENTION REPUBLICANS..... You guys need to realize two things. One, there is no real "winner" of a presidential debate, because there is no judge to tally up points. And two, even if there was a "winner", you don't win delegates or extra votes from winning. So please STOP using the fact that Gingrinch could beat Obama at a debate (which he probably can because he'll shout and throw a temper tantrum like a fat kid who dropped his twinkie) as a reason for him to be president. My dad would probably beat Rick Santorum in a debate, but should he be president? NOOOOO... SO yeah, debates don't mean anything but advertising. So sorry Grinch fans, but if you're lucky, Newt might be looking for a new mouth, I mean, congressional aide...
Stick a fork in republicans for 2012 they are done.
There is a silver lining if the horrific unthinkable happens – Newt wins the nomination and the general election. There is a good chance he would be impeaced before the end of his first term -– the dems would go for it –and most Republicans have already tossed him from a leadership role when he was Speaker and had to resign in disgrace AND PAY A $300,000 FINE.
The people who voted in Gingrich, are they the same ones who voted for screechy voiced Palin.
Can people imaging looking at this adulterers face for the next bunch of years should he get voted in for the highest position in the United States?
They would also have to view his mistress/wife number 3 for the same length of time.
You would think by reading this story and other comments on CNN's page here this was just a three way race. Seems like I remember another candidate in the race for the Republican nomination. Why is CNN and the rest of the main stream news media so afraid to give Congressman Ron Paul any coverage?
Really truth? But what ALL these voters have is a HUNGER to get Obama OUT of the Whitehouse and the Democrats OUT of Congress.
The only hungry ones are the poor and vanishing middle class that your teapublikans continue to ground into the dirt.
Do you watch faux news and listen to limberger every day then come to cnn's website to spread their lies, innuendos and untruths (speaking of nothing but the truth)?
don’t forget, Gingrich was part of the establishment that created the rules that allowed the investment firms and banks to setup a finance meltdown scheme and then bet against it. Costing people homes , jobs and their retirements. It has been reported this started all the way back to Reagan era (his hero?). And now he’s complaining that Romney was more successful in using the rules he helped create. He’s just jealous that he was not able to use the rules as well Romney. He admitted he was part of the group that created the rules. Ron Paul admitted in the debate that the republicans had control of the house, the senate and the president but did nothing or worse, they created the finance mess. Now Gingrich wants to do it all over again? Has any republican stated how reduce regulations will keep it from happening again? Come on republicans, speak up.
Ron Paul and Mitt Romney are the only candidates on ballots in all 50 states. Newt can't get enough delegates and therefore is unelectable.