Romney leads 2012 Republican presidential bid field

Washington, Mar.20 : Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney leads his Republican rivals for the party's 2012 presidential nomination, according a new survey out Friday by Public Policy Polling.

According to Politico, Romney commands 28 percent of the 614 self-identified Republican primary voters polled by PPP.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is placed second with 24 percent, followed by former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin at 23 percent and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) at 11 percent. All four leading candidates ran for the party's nomination in 2008.

Nine percent of those polled said they were undecided, and six percent preferred someone else.

Despite Romney's lead in the horse race, Palin actually ranks as the most popular, with 69 percent of the Republican surveyed holding a favorable view of her. Fifty-seven percent said the same for Romney and 54 percent hold a favorable view of Huckabee.

Additionally, 43 percent of those surveyed believe Palin could beat President Barack Obama in a potential 2012 general election match-up. Thirty-eight percent do not think Palin could take down Obama, while 19 percent were not sure.

The poll was conducted March 12-14 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.