Poll: Most Republicans want to avoid brokered convention

On the campaign trail with Felicia Sonmez

Republicans aren’t thrilled with the idea of a free-for-all at the national convention in Tampa, according to a new USA Today/Gallup poll.

(Left to right) Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, former House speaker Newt Gingrich, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, stand during the National Anthem at the Republican presidential candidates debate at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla., Jan. 26. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)According to the poll, 66 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents surveyed said they would prefer it if one of the current four GOP hopefuls won the nomination through the delegate race outright.

Twenty-nine percent said they’d prefer a brokered convention, where the nomination is up for grabs and the 2,286 national delegates cast their votes as they please.

The survey comes as former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R) and former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) are duking it out for the GOP nod, while Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) have given no indication that they plan to drop their long-shot bids.

As the candidates’ intra-party attacks continue to intensify, the USA Today/Gallup survey shows that there remains broad dissatisfaction with the choice of candidates in the race.

Fifty-five percent of Republicans said that they wish someone else were running, while 44 percent said that they’re satisfied with the choice of candidates.

The poll surveyed 481 Republican and GOP-leaning independents and had a margin of error of six percentage points.