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Republicans For 2012 - Page 7

A new poll released as South Carolinians are voting in their Republican primary shows Newt Gingrich's weeklong surge taking him past Mitt Romney into a substantial lead among likely voters in the Palmetto State.

The American Research Group poll, conducted Thursday and Friday, shows Gingrich leading Romney 40% to 26%. ARG's last poll, released Thursday, showed a virtual tie with Gingrich at 33% and Romney at 32%.

Two weeks ago, Romney's campaign was looking at two wins under its belt, a big lead in South Carolina, a bigger lead in Florida and the possibility of a clear path to the Republican presidential nomination. Ref. CNN

Republicans

With less than an hour until polls close in South Carolina, early exit polls are showing that among those who voted, the most important quality voters were looking for in a candidate was someone who could beat President Barack Obama, and that 98% are very or somewhat worried about the economy.

The early polls also showed that 53% of those voting were men, 47% were women and that two out of three said they supported the tea party movement and described themselves as born-again Christians.

Polls close in South Carolina at 7 p.m. ET, and CNN will not make any projections until after all polls close. Ref. CNN

Republicans For 2012 History & Civil Business Politics

CNN projects that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has won the South Carolina GOP primary, with all the polls now closed in the state.

With Gingrich projected to win in South Carolina, Mitt Romney winning New Hampshire and Rick Santorum taking the Iowa caucuses, this will be the first time in modern GOP primary history that three different GOP candidates won Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Since 1980, every winner of the South Carolina GOP primary has gone on to win the party's nomination. Ref. CNN

Page 7 Republicans

Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are in a statistical tie among Floridians likely to vote in Tuesday's Republican presidential primary, according to a new CNN/Time/ORC International Poll.

The poll indicates that, while Gingrich surged after his 12-point victory in Saturday's South Carolina primary, his momentum appears to be cooling.

According to the poll, 36% of likely voters said they are backing Romney, with 34% supporting Gingrich. The 2-point margin is well within the survey's sampling error. Rick Santorum is at 11%, and Rep. Ron Paul is at 9%. Ref. CNN

Republicans

With about an hour left until most polls close in the Florida presidential primary, early exit polls show the impact of conservatives, gender and Hispanics on the voting among those who responded to questioners.

Two out of three respondents said they were strongly or somewhat supportive of the tea party movement, and a little less than half described themselves as born-again or evangelical Christians.

In the Republican primary, men voted in slightly higher percentage than women, 52%-48%. About 15% of those who voted are Hispanic.

Two out of three said the debates were important to their decision. Just 39% said that the flurry of campaign ads were important.

While most polls close in Florida at 7 p.m., some in the Panhandle region of the state don't close until 8 p.m. ET. CNN will not make any projections until after all polls close. Ref. CNN

Republicans For 2012

Mitt Romney wins CPAC straw poll with 38% of the votes, according to the Washington Times; Rick Santorum is second with 31%.

The straw poll is the climax of the three-day Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, which is considered to be the most influential gathering of conservative leaders and activists. It will close Saturday with an address by former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Massachusetts Gov. Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Santorum addressed the conference on Friday. U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas was invited but was instead campaigning in Maine, which will announce the results of its caucuses later Saturday. Ref. CNN

Republicans 2012 - Page 7

Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are virtually tied nationally in the race for the GOP presidential nomination, a CNN/ORC poll shows.

Santorum more than doubled his support since last month. Among Republicans and independents who lean toward the GOP, 34% say they back Santorum and 32% back Romney. The margin is well within the survey's sampling error.

The poll numbers indicate a split in the Republican Party that goes deeper than ideology, with signs of a gender gap and disagreement between white-collar and blue-collar voters. Ref. CNN

Republicans 2012 Politics Business Civil & History - Page 7

On the eve of the last Republican presidential debate before next month's Super Tuesday contests, a poll indicates that Rick Santorum might be closing the gap with Mitt Romney in Arizona, which votes next Tuesday.

Roughly a third of all likely voters surveyed in the CNN/Time/ORC International Poll released Tuesday say they could change their mind between now and February 28.

The poll shows 36% of people likely to vote in Arizona's Republican primary say they back Romney, and 32% say they"ll vote for Romney. Romney's 4-point margin is within the poll's sampling error, meaning he and Santorum are basically tied.

The poll indicates that 18% back former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, with 6% supporting Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and 6% unsure. Surveys conducted earlier this year by other organizations indicated Romney had a larger lead.

The four major GOP White House hopefuls will face off at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday at a CNN/Republican Party of Arizona debate in Mesa, the first GOP showdown in nearly a month. Ref. CNNs.