New Poll Shows Romney, Palin Lead GOP For 2012 Presidential Bid

By AJ Swartwood

According to a new Gallup Poll released Thursday, Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin are the leading candidates for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. 

The poll found discovered that there is support for thirteen candidates, but it was Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts, and Palin, former Governor of Alaska, who led the way with 19% and 16%, respectively. 

Mike Huckabee came in third with 12% and Newt Gingrich lagged behind with 9%. 

Despite the clear frontrunners, the number of potential candidates with support underscores the wide-open nature of the GOP bid. 

The survey was conducted last week with 902 Republican respondents with a margin of error of plus or minus 4&.