The Hill News

A new poll found Mitt Romney with the widest lead the former Massachusetts governor has ever had over President Obama.

According to the new poll conducted by the conservative-leaning Rasmussen Reports pollster, Romney leads Obama 45 percent to 39 percent in a one-on-one hypothetical matchup.

Romney is the only candidate who has positive numbers against Obama in a matchup, according to the poll. Against Newt Gingrich, Obama has 47 percent and the former House Speaker has 37 percent, the poll found. In a matchup against Rick Santorum, the numbers are exactly the same for Obama and the former Pennsylvania senator.
Obama does best against Michele Bachmann with 48 percent support against Bachmann's 35 percent.

The poll was conducted Dec. 27-28. A week earlier Rasmussen Reports found Romney narrowly behind Obama with the president at 44 percent and Romney at 41 percent. Two weeks ago Romney lead 43 percent to 42 percent.

The poll's results come as the former Massachusetts governor increasingly looks to gain a great deal of momentum by a likely strong performance in New HAmpshire primary (where he polls at the front of the GOP field) and also a strong showing in Iowa, two coveted early primary states that would provide him with a significant amount of momentum.

The poll was conducted among 1,000 likely voters on Dec. 27 to 28 and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.