Post Iowa Caucus … Mitt Romney Up Big in New New Hampshire Polls with 20 Point Lead, Santorum Sees Modest Bounce

With just a few days to go before New Hampshire primary, Romney with commanding lead.

Following the Iowa Caucus 8 vote narrow victory by Mitt Romney over Rick Santorum, the former Massachusetts Governor appears to be up big in the polls for the New Hampshire primary. According to three polls, Mitt Romney has a commanding lead in the Granite state of NH. Romney is in the lead in New Hampshire; however, it appears that Santorum has received a modest bounce as well. It is impossible to imagine that Mitt Romney will not win NH; however, the real question is whether the second place candidate will be Santorum or Paul and if that individual will get more than 20% of the vote.

A Suffolk University poll for Boston-based WHDH-TV shows Mitt Romney up big with an overwhelming 40%, in second is Ron Paul with 17% and Rick Santorum has surged into third with 11%.

An NBC/Marist poll, Romney receives 42% of likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire, followed by Ron Paul with 22, and Rick Santorum at 13%. Although Romney has a commanding lead in NH and it is pretty much a forgone conclusion that the race will be called much quicker primary night in New Hampshire, than that of the Iowa Cuacus, the poll shows that Santorum has made considerable gains from 2% to 13% in a month.

More than a month ago – in an NBC-Marist poll conducted Nov. 28-30 – Romney stood at 39 percent, Gingrich at 24 percent, Paul at 16 percent, Huntsman at 9 percent, Perry at 3 percent and Santorum at 2 percent.

The University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll conducted for WMUR-TV also shows Romney up big in New Hampshire prior to next weeks primary and Santorum with an increase. The poll shows Romney leading the way with 43% of the vote, Paul in second with 18%, Santorum in third up from 4% to 11%, and Gingrich and Huntsman trailing the pack.

More polling data and analysis at the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity. Also, the most recent Rasmussen poll shows a major shake up in the GOP race, Santorum up big; however, Romney up as well.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters in New Hampshire finds Romney earning 42% support. Texas Congressman Ron Paul is a distant second with 18% of the vote, followed by former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, hot off his photo finish with Romney in the Iowa caucuses, at 13%.

According to the Real Clear Politics average polling, Romney up by 21% in the Granite state.