1 1 <p><a href="http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2009/10/obama-continues-to-lead-2012-contests.html">According to a new Public Policy Polling analysis</a>, "Barack Obama continues to lead his most likely 2012 rivals in hypothetical contests for reelection. Obama leads Mike Huckabee 47-43, Mitt Romney 48-40, Sarah Palin 52-40, and Tim Pawlenty 50-30.<br />This is the seventh time PPP has conducted this poll and the seventh time Huckabee has polled closest to Obama. Speaking to the weakness of the field of potential Republican candidates he's the only with a positive favorability rating and even then it's only 33/29. Huckabee's doing well because he connects better than the other GOP hopefuls with voters in the Midwest and South. For instance while Romney, Palin, and Pawlenty trail by 9, 17, and 18 points respectively in the Midwest Huckabee is down by just 3, something that could be a good omen for his prospects of again winning the Iowa primary as he did in 2008."</p> 2009-10-22T11:26:21-04:00 1142 false true 2009-10-23T10:49:33-04:00 2009-10-23T10:49:33-04:00