American Research Poll

The Republican polling firm American Research Group released an 8 state presidential poll on Friday that surveyed 600 likely primary voters of each party in each state. Romney placed third, far behind Rudy Giuliani and John McCain and just ahead of Newt Gingrich and Tommy Thompson.

  WH '08 GOP Primary Election Matchup
                MI  MO  FL  PA  IL  NM  CA  NC
 R. Giuliani    34% 18% 30% 35% 33% 38% 33% 34%
 J. McCain      24  31  15  25  24  20  18  26
 M. Romney      10   2   2   1  12   7   3   2
 N. Gingrich     9  14  16  10   8   9  19  11
 T. Thompson     7   2  --  --   4  --  --  --
 M. Huckabee     2   1   1   1  --  --  --   4
 S. Brownback   --   5   1   2   4   4  --  --
 J. Gilmore     --  --  --   1  --  --  --   1
 C. Hagel       --   3   2   4   3   6   5   2
 D. Hunter      --  --  --  --   1  --   1  --
 G. Pataki      --  --   1  --  --   1  --  --
 Other/undec    14  24  32  21  11  15  22  19

CBS4 in Boston sees a silver lining in these low early numbers:

[T]he election is a long way off and the Romney camp just might be in the perfect position....

"You don't want to be a front runner at this point front runners attract flies, heat and all sorts of unwanted side effects," [says CBS4 political analyst Jon Keller].

Keller says Romney has taken hits about flip flopping on some issues and his Mormon religion and it actually benefits him not to be getting as much attention right now.

So, although his numbers are low, his campaign shouldn't worry.

"No need to panic no need to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel to get some cheap pub," Keller said.