The latest poll of likely Republican primary voters in Florida gives Mitt Romney front-runner status heading into the final days of campaigning before Tuesday’s primary.
Romney has an 11-point advantage over Newt Gingrich in the statewide poll conducted for the Tampa Bay Times, Miami Herald, El Nuevo Herald and television stations Bay News 9 and Central Florida News 13.
Romney is supported by 42 percent of the Republican primary voters surveyed, and Mr. Gingrich is backed by 31 percent. The Mason-Dixon poll is the latest in a series toward the end of this past week that showed Romney moving ahead of Gingrich, whose win in South Carolina last Saturday had upended the G.O.P. primary race.
Rick Santorum and Ron Paul — neither of whom are campaigning in Florida — are running well behind. Mr. Santorum, a former Senator from Pennsylvania is the choice of 14 percent and 6 percent picked Mr. Paul.