The most recent national Republican primary poll from Rasmussen Reports shows Mitt Romney leading with 40 percent, 16 points ahead of his closest rival Rick Santorum, who is at 24 percent. According to the poll, taken after Romney’s victories in the Michigan and Arizona primaries on Tuesday, Newt Gingrich has 16 percent and Ron Paul has 12 percent. Romney’s lead, his largest in the Rasmussen poll so far, is also the largest for any Republican presidential candidate in this cycle.

Romney’s new lead is a big swing from a national Rasmussen poll taken two weeks ago, which showed Santorum leading with 39 percent to Romney’s 27 percent. Here’s more from Rasmussen: