Mitt Craters Nationally, Behind Fred

Note: The poll was before NH - even worse.

Ouch! That's what happens when you lose two in a row. He's also pulled ad buys in SC and Fla. Fred's at 12, Romney 9.

Among Republicans, Huckabee has jumped from 16% of the vote in December 2007 to 25% as of this polling. Coupled with the loss of support for former front-runner Rudy Giuliani, Huckabee is now the leader among Republicans nationally, with a 5-point lead over Giuliani and 6-point lead over John McCain (who has gained 5 points since December). Mitt Romney, after failing to win in Iowa, is now in fifth place nationally with just 9% of the vote, which is his lowest percentage since early October.

But as his campaign insists they're in it for the long haul and getting away from the "contrast" ads ... it's more likely he's going to focus on Michigan and a new more positive strategy before doing anything else, or just burning cash on ads that haven't worked.

A Romney intimate, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting the candidate, said the campaign was "going to take the shackles off, have him be less measured."

Conceding Romney had been hurt by a backlash against the hard-hitting television commercials the former Massachusetts governor ran against Huckabee and McCain, the adviser said the campaign hoped to "get away from the paid media and get more of the earned media."

Comments

[Bill C]

The problem for Romney is that he is everyone's last choice. The fact that Romney has changed positions on so many important issues has caused conservatives to look to McCain and Huckabee. Romney will never get these voters back so all he does by staying in the race is insure that Fred Thompson can't win.

[Tregonsee]

And we have seen how accurate polls are lately, haven't we?

[chris]

This means that Willard will have more time to pursue his hobbies, including hunting and marching with civil rights leaders.

Go Willard!

[Dusty]

How do you lose two in a row when you win Wyoming in between?

Mitt won more delegates in Wyoming than McCain did in NH. Che.