Quinnipiac poll: Mitt Romney opens double digit lead over Newt Gingrich ahead of Florida primary

Republican Presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney shakes hands with supporters while campaigning at the Eastern Shipyard on January 28, 2012 in Panama City, Florida. Florida will hold its Republican primary on …
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Posted: 01/30/2012

By: Cary Williams

TAMPA - With less than 24 hours to go before the polls open in Florida, a new poll shows former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney with a double-digit lead over GOP challenger Newt Gingrich.

The Quinnipiac poll released Monday showed Romney with a 43 - 29 percent advantage over the Former House Speaker in the state's presidential preference primary.

Seven percent of the 539 likely voters polled said there were undecided, but 24 percent said they might change their mind before tomorrow's election.

“Romney carries every part of the GOP coalition, including the parts central to Gingrich – self-described conservatives, white evangelical Christians and Tea Party supporters. If this margin holds up tomorrow, it’s hard to see where Gingrich goes from here,” said Quinnipiac assistant director of polling at Quinnipiac University.

Texas U.S. Representative Ron Paul and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum each received 11 percent in the poll conducted January 27 - 29.

The poll has a margin of error of +/- 4.2 percentage points.

Follow this link for complete polling data: http://tinyurl.com/7c4feez