As Newt Gingrich is expected to announce his candidacy formally for president in 2012 on Wednesday, a new Public Policy Polling survey shows the former House speaker in the top three among likely Republican candidates.
The national poll of GOP primary voters that ended on May 8 has former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee with 19 percent of the vote, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney with 18 percent, and Gingrich with 13 percent.
Following them are former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin with 12 percent, billionaire Donald Trump and Rep. Ron Paul with 8 percent, Rep. Michele Bachmann with 7 percent, and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty with 5 percent.
A majority of voters, 54 percent, say they have a favorable opinion of Gingrich, while 30 percent have an unfavorable opinion, and 16 percent are not sure.
If Huckabee is removed from the slate of potential candidates, Gingrich receives a solid 26 percent of the vote, trailing only Romney’s 28 percent.
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