Romney leads in NH while Pawlenty drops 5 after he announces

The newest WMUR Granite state poll is out and it shows that Mitt Romney is maintaining a big lead in his adopted home state. Meanwhile former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty who posted a respectable 7% showing before he announced in February is now at 2% (PDF) in the latest poll behind fringe candidates Donald Trump, Ron Paul and Michelle Bachmann.

Pawlenty has been hitting the trail and meeting voters for about a month and his standing in the granite state has only deteriorated. Could he be the first serious candidate to drop out?

WMUR Granite state poll
May 4, 2011

Mitt Romney 36%(40%) -4
Donald Trump 11%(3%) +8
Rudolph Giuliani 7%(10%) -3
Mike Huckabee 6%(7%) -1
Ron Paul 6%(5%) +1
Sarah Palin 4%(6%) -2
Newt Gingrich 4%(6%) -2
Michelle Bachmann 4%(Wasn't polled previously)
Tim Pawlenty 2%(7%) -5
Mitch Daniels 2%(0%) +2