Mitt Romney

Just a few months ago, New Jersey’s presidential primary – moved up to February in a quest for national political relevance – was looking like a non-event. Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani had considerable leads; in the case of the GOP, the winner-take-all primary meant that there were no delegates available to the other contenders.

The Newark Star-Ledger endorsed Barack Obama and John McCain in its Sunday edition.

A new Quinnipiac poll has Hillary Clinton leading Barack Obama, 48%-43%: Getty Images Photo
Hillary Clinton's lead in New Jersey has shrunk to just five points and leads Barack Obama 48%-43% among likely Democratic primary voters, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released this morning. On the Republican side, John McCain leads Mitt Romney 52%-30%.

"Sen. Obama has put together a coalition of blacks and independents to dramatically narrow the gap in just the last few days in New Jersey, but the big question remains: Will there be enough of these new, young, first time voters showing up to pull a surprise on Super Tuesday?" said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

The Quinnipiac poll mirrors one conducted at the end of last week by Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg for George Norcross that showed Clinton ahead by six points. Clinton had a 17-point lead in a January 23 Quinnipiac poll, and had been ahead by as much as 34 points late last year.

Craig Romney, the youngest son of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, will campaign for his father in New Jersey today. Romney will make stops in Newark, Denville, Trenton, West Long Branch, Middletown and Belford.

Two more polls out Sunday show Senator John McCain with wide leads in New Jersey.

A Reuters/CSPAN/Zogby poll shows McCain at 54% former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney at 23%.

And a survey by McClatchy and MSNBC show McCain with 46%, Romney with 31%, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee with 5%.

The McClatchy/MNSBC poll also shows Senator Hiillary Clinton leading Senator Barack Obama in the Democratic race 46%-39%.

A Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll of likely Democratic primary voters has Hillary Clinton leading Barack Obama 50%-34% in New Jersey’s February 5 Democratic presidential primary. Among likely GOP voters, John McCain has a 55%-23% lead over Mitt Romney, with 7% for Mike Huckabee and 3% for Ron Paul.

New Jersey Right to Life endorsed Mike Huckabee, saying that Ron Paul's libertarian views conflic with his pro-life stand: Getty Images Photo
New Jersey Right to Life has endorsed Mike Huckabee for the GOP presidential nomination, saying that the former Governor of Arkansas supports passage of a constitutional amendment to protect the right to life, and believes that Roe v. Wade should be overturned.

District 7 U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson has endorsed former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney for president, according to Sen. Joseph Kyrillos, state chairman for the Romney campaign.

While John McCain is now the favorite to win New Jersey’s February 5 winner-take-all GOP primary, supporters of Mitt Romney believe New Jersey could still be in play in June --  if the Republicans have not yet selected a presidential nominee.