A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, defeating Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, by a wide margin.
The poll, released late Sunday, show Mr. Romney leading Mr. Gingrich by 12 percentage points in the state of Florida, which is slated to hold its Republican primary on Tuesday.
Mr. Romney, who has campaigned heavily in the state in past weeks, has the support of 42 percent of likely Florida voters surveyed in the online three-day tracking poll, down from 43 percent in the same poll on Saturday. Mr. Romney was at 41 percent on Friday, according to Reuters.
By comparison, Mr. Gingrich’s support was at 30 percent, down from 32 percent in Saturday’s results and 33 percent on Friday.
Sunday’s poll also found overwhelming support for Mr. Romney. If the race was between Mr. Romney and Gingrich only, the former would be at 55 percent to Mr. Gingrich’s 44 percent,
The poll is the latest to find Mr. Romney leading the surging Georgia Republican. A series of polls released late last week found lagging support for Mr. Gingrich, who secured a surprising victory in South Carolina just days earlier.
The poll comes as the campaign between Mr. Gingrich and Mr. Romney has turned increasingly tense in past days. Mr. Romney, who has raised millions of dollars in campaign contributions in recent months, has increased his ad buys in the state, launching a series of television and radio ads questioning Mr. Gingrich’s time in the U.S. Congress.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gingrich has increase his criticism of Mr. Romney, saying the former Massachusetts governor’s large trove of cash is responsible for support throughout the state.
