NASHUA, N.H. — Mitt Romney extended his lead overnight and a surging Jon Huntsman now has a decent shot at a surprise second place finish in tonight’s Republican presidential primary here, according to the final Suffolk University daily tracking poll released this morning.
Whether it suggests attacks on his career at private equity firm Bain have made voters rally around him or they’re just gravitating to the front-runner, Romney is now at an even more commanding position, with 37 percent support.
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But the big story may be Huntsman, who has now jumped to 16 percent, or just two points behind Rep. Ron Paul, R-Tex. That represents a three point upward move for Huntsman overnight and a nine point jump in the past week in the Suffolk poll. Also potentially working in Huntsman’s favor is that he’s doing well among late-deciders, and 14 still remain undecided, with another 18 percent saying they were at least somewhat likely to change their minds.
Though a second place showing would provide new life to Huntsman, the core of his appeal is to Democratic-leaning independents, which is hard to transport to states that, unlike New Hampshire, restrict voting in GOP primaries to registered Republicans. And, he lacks the money and national organization that Romney has built.
Among the other candidates, Rick Santorum is now in fourth at 11 percent, which is right where 2008 Iowa winner and staunch social conservative Mike Huckabee was in 2008. Newt Gingrich, who launched an attack on Romney’s business career, slipped into fifth place with 9 percent.
And as for one time fronrunner Texas Gov. Rick Perry? He’s at 1 percent, in a neck and neck race with former Lousiana Gov. Buddy Roemer, who wasn’t included in any of the debates, for last place.
