2012 Polls: Romney Beats Palin in Her Own Alaska, Wallops Pawlenty in His Native Minnesota

Interesting info leaks today from two polling sources, both – incredibly – showing Mitt Romney ahead of potential 2012 rivals in their home states.

In Alaska, Mitt Romney edges Sarah Palin by 3%.
From PPP:

Mitt Romney vs. Sarah Palin

If Sarah Palin runs for President in 2012 she can’t count on a whole lot of support back home. 62% of Alaska Republicans are opposed to her making a White House bid and she gets only 17% in a hypothetical 2012 primary in the state tying for her second with Mike Huckabee behind Mitt Romney.

It’s not that Alaska Republicans don’t like Palin- a majority of them still do. But there’s a significant disconnect between GOP voters in the state liking Palin and thinking she should run for President, a divide we’ve seen with Republicans nationally and one that presents the biggest threat to a possible Palin candidacy. Even among voters with a favorable opinion of Palin in the state just 39% think she should launch a 2012 bid.

Romney gets 20% to 17% for Palin and Huckabee, 16% for Newt Gingrich, and 10% for Ron Paul.

In Minnesota, Mitt Romney pummels Tim Pawlenty by 13%.
From MPR:

Mitt Romney vs. Tim Pawlenty

The poll also compared Pawlenty the two most prominent, presumed front-runners for the Republicans in 2012 — former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Romney fared better than Pawlenty with likely Minnesota voters, 45 percent to 32 percent, while Pawlenty easily beat Palin in the hypothetical matchup, 59 percent to 24 percent.

*It’s worth noting that this last poll was extracted from all likely voters, Republicans & Democrats alike.

Any thoughts on these results? Could these be accurate depictions of the primary to come? Is it possible that anyone could swipe a victory from Mitt in his native Michigan?

~Aaron G.