Poll: Palin, Romney lead 2012 nomination race

Sarah Palin’s strange resignation doesn’t seem to have hurt her among the GOP base.

A new Rasmussen Poll (conducted yesterday, a few days after Palin’s resignation) finds Palin statistically tied with Mitt Romney at the head of the 2012 pack.

I know it’s a long way off, but suppose the 2012 Republican Presidential Primary were held in your state today. If you had a choice between Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Haley Barbour and Tim Pawlenty, for whom would you vote?

25% Romney
24% Palin
22% Huckabee
14% Gingrich
1% Barbour
1% Pawlenty
6% Some other candidate
6% Not sure

These results are very similar to a CNN poll conducted a month ago, which found Huckabee’s support at 22%, followed by Romney and Palin at 21%.

But the Rasmussen Poll also finds that Palin is a polarizing figure within the Republican base. Consider this question:

Okay, regardless of who you would vote for, which candidate would you least like to see win the Republican nomination in 2012…Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Haley Barbour or Tim Pawlenty?

9% Romney
21% Palin
10% Huckabee
15% Gingrich
21% Barbour
15% Pawlenty
11% Not sure

Essentially, Palin is one of the most popular and one of the least popular Republican politicians in the country.

The poll has a margin of error of +/- 4%.