“Early-December polls from other organizations tended to show Gingrich’s support in the mid-30s with Romney in second place, so the current figures indicate that Romney has recently gained ground at Gingrich’s expense,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland…

So what’s behind Romney’s rise and Gingrich’s drop in the poll?

“Romney’s appeal to Republican voters seems to be based mostly on his personal qualities, many of which – including likability and trustworthiness – are problem areas for Gingrich. For Romney, that’s not a bad position to be in when six in ten Republicans say that personal characteristics will matter more than issues when they decide which GOP candidate to support,” Holland said.