IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Poll: Gingrich would lose national election

A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows the Republican frontrunners Newt Gingrich and Willard M.
Poll: Gingrich would lose national election
Poll: Gingrich would lose national election

A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows the Republican frontrunners Newt Gingrich and Willard M. Romney have very different battles to fight; Gingrich needs to pump up the charm with the general electorate and Romney needs to focus on wooing Republicans.

With just three weeks to go until the Iowa caucus, Newt's sitting pretty with 40 percent of the vote — that's a 17-point lead over Romney with registered Republican voters. The former Massachusetts governor got 23 percent of the vote. All the other candidates grabbed single digits.

When you expand the survey to the entire country, Gingrich wouldn't do as well up against President Obama. In a match-up with the president, Gingrich only got 40 percent of the vote compared to Obama's 51 percent. Romney, however, would only be inches away from Obama, with the incumbent getting 47 percent to Romney's 45 percent.

You can check out the full poll here.