Poll: Romney, Perry Neck-and-Neck in Ohio

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Gov. Rick Perry are in a virtual dead heat for the Republican presidential nomination in Ohio, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University.

Republican voters give Romney a lead — 24 percent to 20 percent — but that’s within the poll’s 4.8 percentage point margin of error for GOP respondents.

In hypothetical races presented to voters of all persuasions, Romney trails President Barack Obama 44 percent to 42 percent, and Perry trails 44 to 41 percent.

Given the poll’s 2.7 percentage point margin of error for all respondents, Obama’s leads are insignificant.

When polled against each other, Perry beats Romney 42 percent to 38 percent.

In the poll of all Republican candidates, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who’s not in the race, took third with 9 percent, followed by businessman Herman Cain with 7 percent and Texas Rep. Ron Paul with 6 percent.