GOP Poll Shows Huckabee in the Lead

It's waaaaay too early to give much credence to these numbers, but it's interesting nonetheless:

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Republican voters nationwide say former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is their pick to represent the GOP in the 2012 Presidential campaign. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that 24% prefer former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney while 18% would cast their vote for former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich gets 14% of the vote while Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty gets 4%. Six percent (6%) of GOP voters prefer some other candidate while 7% remain undecided.

These numbers reflect an improvement for Huckabee since July when the three candidates were virtually even. Huckabee’s gain appears to be Palin’s loss as Romney’s support has barely changed.

My thoughts:

• Newt Gingrich is taking himself out of the race, so his numbers will have to go somewhere else. He won't be running
• Mike Huckabee is getting a lot of attention these days, especially with his own show on Fox News. Huckabee is a big government social conservative. If you think government will shrink under his presidency, think again. He didn't do it in Arkansas and I don't think we can expect it in Washington.
• Mitt Romney is the guy "who's next", which in GOP circles usually means he'll get the nomination. However, Romney still has the Mormon problem, and it is a problem for many voters. He's also a little stiff in his speeches and I just can't see him ultimately winning the nomination.
• Sarah Palin isn't ready for 2012. She may be the darling of a certain branch of the conservative wing of the party, but I still don't see her as having the power and ability to lead the ticket.
• I think Tim Pawlenty is the sharpest of the bunch, but right now he's got some work to do to get his name and policies in front of the GOP voters. That's what the next three years are for.