SURVEY SAYS

Poll: Obama Beats Newt in Key States

But Gingrich surges ahead of Romney.

Last night's debate ought to help him even more. According to new NBC News-Marist polls conducted earlier in the week, Newt Gingrich leads Mitt Romney by nearly 20 points in South Carolina, and by double digits in Florida as well. The winner of South Carolina's primary has captured the GOP nomination every time since 1980. He polls at 42 percent support there—a 35-point jump since October—while Romney has 23 percent. In Florida, Gingrich is polling at 44 percent—he only had 6 percent support in October. Romney's number is at 29. Less encouraging news for Newt: in hypothetical match-ups, Obama trumps Gingrich in both states, and by a wider margin than he does Romney.