Pawlenty scores third in New Hampshire WMUR 2012 poll

While he’s still at single digits among Republicans in New Hampshire, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty scored third place in the WMUR Granite State Poll, which was released on Thursday. Pawlenty polled ahead of Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, and tied Mike Huckabee at 7 percent. The strong showing by Pawlenty could be an indication of Palin’s sinking support following her “blood libel” remarks in January.

Mitt Romney topped the poll with 40 percent followed by Rudy Giuliani with 10 percent. Pawlenty and Huckabee came in at 7 percent, Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich at 6 percent and Ron Paul at 5 percent.

Pawlenty has gone up in a ranks in New Hampshire over the last year, though his position still seems volatile. However, there’s still a year of campaigning until the first primary.

In July 2010, Pawlenty ranked near the bottom of a Public Policy Polling poll with just 3 percent and was beaten by Romney, Gingrich, Paul, Huckabee and Palin.

In November, a PPP poll had Pawlenty at 4 percent behind Romney, Huckabee, Gingrich and Palin.

A Jan. 7, 2011, poll by NH Journal had Pawlenty at the bottom with just 4 percent. Romney, Palin, Huckabee, Gingrich and Paul all did better.

In a January 22, 2011 WMUR straw poll at a Republican gathering, Pawlenty scored third with 8 percent and was ahead of Palin and Giuliani but got beat by Paul and Romney.

Palin made her remarks about “blood libel” in mid-January following the controversy over her use of crosshairs on a map over a number of Congressional candidates, including that of Rep. Gabriele Giffords, who was shot in Tucson. The two polls conducted since then show her trailing Pawlenty in particular and other candidates generally.