Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul walloped former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum in the latest Public Policy Polling poll of likely voters in the Nevada Republican caucuses. Mr. Paul garnered 15 percent of the votes, while Mr. Santorum pulled in 8 percent of the votes.
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney earned 50 percent of the votes in the Nevada poll, besting former House Speaker Newt Gingrich by 25 percentage points.
Although Mr. Paul has moved into the top tier in the Silver State, Mr. Romney’s lead is too great for either the Texas Republican or Mr. Gingrich to overcome on Saturday. “Mitt Romney is headed for a big win in Nevada on Saturday,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling, in a press release.
The results of the latest Nevada poll are markedly different for the former Air Force surgeon than the results of a Nevada poll conducted by the Las Vegas Review-Journal earlier in the week. Mr. Paul lost to Mr. Santorum in this Nevada poll by 2 percentage points (9-11).
However, the Las Vegas Review-Journal noted that “the Texas congressman often outperforms polls by turning out his loyal backers in caucus contests, where party members pick their favorites. Paul is deeply organized here.”
Although Public Policy Polling called the likelihood of Mr. Paul besting Mr. Gingrich to finish in second place “unlikely,” the polling company did not rule it out completely.
“It looks like Paul will be able to build on his 14% showing in Nevada in 2008, but catching up to Gingrich for 2nd place appears unlikely. His key will be turning out young voters at a higher rate than we’re projecting,” Public Policy Polling wrote in a press release.
Public Policy Polling interviewed 937 likely voters in the Nevada Republican caucus on February 1st and February 2nd. The poll has a margin or error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
