New Nationwide Clarus Poll: Romney Defeats Conservative Candidates in Two-Way Contests

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new national Clarus Poll of Republican voters shows Mitt Romney leading all top GOP rivals in two-way contests.
 
"As candidates drop out of the race, it becomes increasingly interesting to see what two-way matchups look like," said Ron Faucheux, president of Clarus Research Group, a non-partisan polling and research organization based in Washington D.C.

The Clarus Poll of Republican voters nationwide finds Romney now leading his top three opponents––Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul––in head-to-head races.

Santorum does slightly better against Romney than Gingrich does. But Romney leads both by double-digits. The poll shows that Paul would be the weakest alternative to Romney.

• In head-to-head trial heats, voters were asked their preferences in two-way nomination contests, with the following results:
  • Romney 50 percent over Santorum 36 percent (14-point margin)
  • Romney 50 percent over Gingrich 34 percent (16-point margin)
  • Romney 62 percent over Paul 24 percent (38-point margin)

Questions in this survey were not asked on behalf of, or paid for by, any client, political candidate or party organization. This survey was conducted for the internal use of Clarus Research Group.

Clarus conducted the nationwide survey among 381 Republican voters, based on a representative sample. The margin of error is +/- 5.02 percent. The poll was conducted January 16 – 18 by live telephone calls to landlines and cells.
 
Clarus Research Group is a full-service, nonpartisan, survey research firm based in Washington, D.C. that provides market insights and practical analysis for corporate, association, nonprofit and advocacy clients. More information on Clarus clients and service offerings may be found on the Web at www.ClarusRG.com http://www.clarusrg.com/
                                
Poll questions and responses

Of the candidates now running for president, which ONE would you most like to see win the Republican presidential nomination… (ROTATE) Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Rick Perry…or… Rick Santorum?
                       
1.      Romney 30%
2.      Gingrich 19%
3.      Paul 12%
4.      Perry 6%
5.      Santorum 15%
6.      (DO NOT READ) None of the above/other/someone else 4%
7.      (DO NOT READ) Undecided/don't know 14%

If there were only two candidates in the race for the Republican presidential nomination… would you most likely vote for (ROTATE) Mitt Romney …or… Newt Gingrich?
                       
1.      Romney 50%
2.      Gingrich 34%
3.      (DO NOT READ) None of the above/other/someone else 6%
4.      (DO NOT READ) Undecided/don't know 10%
 
If the only two candidates for the Republican nomination were (ROTATE) Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, which one would you vote for?
                       
1.      Romney 50%
2.      Santorum 36%
3.      (DO NOT READ) None of the above/other/someone else 4%
4.      (DO NOT READ) Undecided/don't know 10%
 
If the only two candidates for the Republican nomination were (ROTATE) Mitt Romney and Ron Paul, which one would you vote for?
                       
1.      Romney 62%
2.      Paul 24%
3.      (DO NOT READ) None of the above/other/someone else 6%
4.      (DO NOT READ) Undecided/don't know 8%
 
N = 381 sample nationwide (MOE +/- 5.02%)
Jan. 16-18, 2012 LIVE TELEPHONE, LANDLINE AND CELL

SOURCE Clarus Research Group