Free Republic

New Hampshire has long had a reputation as the most conservative state in the Northeast. Its license plates even say, "Live Free or Die." The Tea Party ought to be a force here. Just days before the state's primary, New Hampshirites may help Mitt Romney consolidate his position as the Republican front-runner. Not because they support him, but because they cannot unite behind another candidate.

The former Massachusetts governor now leads his nearest rival, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, by 27 points among likely New Hampshire voters, according to a Suffolk University-7News poll released Wednesday night. Perry finished far back, earning 8 percent compared with Romney's 41 percent. Paul took 14 percent and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman received 10 percent to round out the top four finishers.

The leaders of the New Hampshire Republican Party have spoken, and they have given Mitt Romney the early presidential lead in the Granite State. In the first-of-its-kind straw poll of members of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, Romney drew 35% of the total vote. Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) came in second with 11%. The straw poll was conducted in Derry, NH and was sponsored by ABC News and WMUR-TV. ABC News political director Amy Walter tweeted the results of the poll this afternoon: Mitt Romney 35.14% Ron Paul 10.51% Tim Pawlenty 7.61% Sarah Palin 6.88% Michele Bachmann 5.07%