POLL STUNNER – AT 8:43 A.M. ET:  We caution that this is one poll, and that New Hampshire cannot be counted as typical because Mitt Romney, former governor of neighboring Massachusetts, is so well known there.  Still, these results from a respected survey are raising eyebrows across the political internet:

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has surged among Republican voters in New Hampshire, and Rick Perry is a distant fourth, according to a Suffolk University/7NEWS (WHDH TV) poll of likely voters in New Hampshire’s GOP presidential primary.

Romney has opened up a 27-point lead over his nearest rival in New Hampshire, and pundits may have to rethink predictions of a two-man GOP race between Romney and Perry.

Romney (41 percent) gained 5 points since June, followed by Ron Paul (14 percent), and Jon Huntsman (10 percent). Huntsman and Paul gained 6 percent each since the last poll.

The single-digit tier consisted of Perry (8 percent), Sarah Palin (6 percent), Michele Bachmann (5 percent), and Newt Gingrich (4 percent), while Rick Santorum and Buddy Roemer each received 1 percent. Eleven percent of likely New Hampshire GOP primary voters were undecided.

“Mitt Romney is saying ‘get out of my back yard’ and making New Hampshire his strong firewall despite showing some weakness in the other states’ early primaries,” said David Paleologos, director of Suffolk University’s Political Research Center. “The anti-Romney candidate at this point could be either Ron Paul, who has polled consistently over the past year, or Jon Huntsman, whose numbers are really growing in the Granite State.”

COMMENT:  The question, of course, is why Perry is so weak.  New Hampshire is a New England state, and Perry must show strength in different sections of the country to convince the party's voters that he deserves the nomination.

It's best to withhold judgment until we see some polling from other northern states, especially across the Midwestern industrial belt, or what used to be the industrial belt.  But this poll should remind Perry of what he must do.

September 22, 2011