Statewide opinion polling for the Republican Party presidential primaries

As the Florida primary results continue to pour in, several major national news outlets are projecting that Mitt Romney won big in Florida today. Newt Gingrich was projected to come in third, followed by Rick Santorum and then Ron Paul.

Newt Gingrich tried to cement his role as the front-runner to win the Florida Republican Primary at Monday night’s debate. But a newly assertive Mitt Romney was also in it to win, trying to salvage a campaign that had seemed inevitable winner just a few days ago.

Newt Gingrich picked up a double-digit victory in South Carolina over one-time frontrunner Mitt Romney on Saturday. With less than a week to go, the election turns toward Florida, where Romney may be able to use his campaign war chest to his advantage. But Gingrich is already surging.

Mitt Romney would probably like to go back to bed. The former Massachusetts Governor learned Thursday that the Iowa Caucus had recounted its ballots, and the final tally had Rick Santorum in the lead. But, with some ballots lost, no official winner will be declared. Plus, Texas Gov. Rick Perry dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Romney rival Newt Gingrich.

At 7 p.m. tonight, Iowa voters will head to town halls and public buildings to register their support for Republican presidential candidates in the Iowa Caucuses. They’ll listen to speeches and then cast a vote in a cookie tin or box, declaring their support for one of the seven GOP candidates seeking their support.