NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum leads in one of the first polls released for Tennessee's Republican Presidential Primary on Super Tuesday March 6.
The American Research Group (ARG) phone survey last week of 600-mainly Republican Tennesseans, shows Santorum with a 34% preference, Mitt Romney at 27%, Newt Gingrich 16%, Ron Paul 13%, nine percent undecided and one-percent for others.
"I think we are going to have a strong turnout," said Tennessee Republican party chair Chris Devaney.
"We have had a winner in one state, then the next week another winner, so the polls could change over the course of the next few weeks with a couple of states in between Tennessee," he said.
Freshman congressional member Diane Black who was meeting with constituents in Lebanon told Nashville's News 2 she is making no predictions even though she supports Romney.
"I have one that I have chosen, but it's going to be up to people to do their homework and know who the candidates are," said the 6th District Representative.
The ARG said its poll was conducted February 8 and 9.
The group said it conducted "600 completed telephone interviews among a random sample of likely Republican primary voters living in Tennessee (418 self-identified Republicans, 166 self-identified independents, and 16 self-identified Democrats)."
ARG said its margin of error was four percent.
The polling group out of Manchester, New Hampshire asked the question:
"If the 2012 Republican presidential preference primary were being held today between among (names rotated) Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, and Rick Santorum, for whom would you vote?"
Early voting in Tennessee begins Wednesday.
