Sarah Palin Popularity Dropping in GOP

While Sarah Palin remains among the top potential GOP candidates for president in 2012, her popularity continues to take a serious hit, according to a new poll. Some 37% of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents hold a negative view of her, which is a record high for Palin, according to the latest survey by ABC News and the Washington Post. She scored a 58% favorable rating among Republicans and GOP-leaning independents, a precipitous fall in popularity since the days after the GOP National Convention when 88% viewed Palin positively.

Still, she's near the top of the GOP presidential heap. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney garnered a 60% favorability rating in the survey, and ex-Arkansas Gov Mike Huckabee tallied a 61% rating. Newt Gingrich scored a 55% ranking. But Palin's unfavorable ratings are significantly higher than her closest competitors, revealing her polarizing impact on the electorate. It's still unclear whether she'll run. Many of those surveyed still hold no opinion about other potential candidates, including Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. (More Tea Party stories.)