Poll: Perry, Romney in S.C. Dogfight

Republican presidential candidates Rick Perry and Mitt Romney are running neck-and-neck in South Carolina, home to one of the nation’s first primaries, according to a new poll from Winthrop University. Among Republicans and independents who “definitely” plan to vote, Texas Gov. Perry drew 30.5 percent support, compared to 27.3 percent for former Massachusetts Gov. Romney. That’s within the poll’s 4.57 percentage-point margin of error.

Businessman Herman Cain took third place with 7.7 percent support, followed by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who hasn’t decided if she’s running yet, with 5.8 percent; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 5.3 percent; Texas Rep. Ron Paul with 4.2 percent; Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann with 3.5 percent; former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman with 1.6 percent; and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum with 1.5 percent.