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Despite Michelle Bachmann’s recent Iowa straw poll victory, don’t be surprised if the GOP field eventually winnows to Rick Perry and Mitt Romney. If the latest Florida poll numbers from McLaughlin & Associates are any indication, the two are at the top of the pack. Plus, both are showing traction against Obama.
The poll was commissioned by Associated Industries of Florida, a business group. Both the AIF and the polling firm have closer ties to the Republican party than Democrats.
Numbers show Romney leading the Republican field with 26 percent support. Perry trails with 16 percent, while Bachmann is in a distant third place with 10 percent. Twenty-two percent of Republican primary voters remain undecided.
This in contrast to a poll released last month by an even lesser-known polling firm that showed Perry leading with 15 percent to Romney and Bachmann’s 15 percent.
The AIG poll shows Romney leads President Obama narrowly, 45 to 44 percent. The Republican leads among independents 46-31.
Obama still leads Perry however, 44-39. The two are tied among independents with 35 percent each. A head-to-head poll against Bachmann was not conducted.
Meanwhile, 43 percent of Floridians say they’d be less likely to vote for a candidate with Tea Party support. Only 26 percent say they’d be more likely to vote for a candidate because of Tea Party support.
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