This month’s numbers are indicative of an ongoing problem for Romney: conservative voters just don’t like him nearly as much as they do the rest of the leading Republican contenders. Only 55% have a favorable opinion of him. Gingrich is 10 points better at 65% favorability, and Palin and Huckabee are each almost 20 points higher at 74% and 73% respectively. Our state by state polling has indicated that the Republican electorate in most places is going to be more conservative leaning than it was in 2008 so this is somewhere Romney’s really going to have to step it up if he’s going to be viable for the nomination.

The worst news for Palin in this poll might be that she has the highest favorability number of any of the Republicans tested at 65%- but still only 14% say that she’s their first choice for President. Her problem is not that GOP voters don’t like her because they most certainly do. They just don’t think she’s Presidential material. She’s not like a lot of Presidential contenders who start out far behind but have a lot of room to grow as they become better known- she’s pretty much maxed out on people’s awareness of her.