Vice Presidential Stakes: Voters Favor Their Own, Says Poll

Joe Raedle/Getty Images(HAMDEN, Conn.) — When it comes to the GOP vice presidential stakes, voters in three crucial electoral states  – Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania – favor their home state (or regional) politicians as choices for Mitt Romney’s running mate,  according to a new Quinnipiac poll released Thursday.

Forty percent of Florida voters picked their home state Sen. Marco Rubio, with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie following at a distant 14 percent. Notably left off  the list was another Florida politician who could shake up the mix – former governor and presidential brother Jeb Bush.

Twenty-six percent of Ohio voters went for Sen. Rob Portman, who is Cincinnati born and raised, with both Christie and Rubio trailing, at 14 percent each.

And Pennsylvania, which doesn’t have a home state contender in the Mitt Romney vice presidential competition, opted for the politician next door, Christie, at 28 percent, followed by Rubio, at 15 percent.

Here are the vice presidential preference numbers from Quinnipiac:

FLORIDA: Rubio 40, Christie 14, Ryan 7, Jindal 6, Pawlenty 4, Portman 4, Ayotte 2, Someone else 3, Don’t know/NA 21

OHIO:   Portman 26, Christie 14, Rubio 14, Ryan 8, Jindal 6, Pawlenty 3, Ayotte 2, Someone else 2, Don’t know/NA 26

PENNSYLVANIA:  Christie 28, Rubio 15, Ryan 8, Jindal 6, Pawlenty 4, Portman 4, Ayotte 3, Someone else 4, Don’t know/NA 27

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