Ouch: Pawlenty takes last in latest GOP 2012 poll

​There's a new poll out from Rasmussen Reports on 2012 GOP candidates and Gov. Tim Pawlenty came in at a depressingly low 4 percent of the vote among likely Republican voters. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee won with 29 percent of the vote. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won second with 24 percent and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin pull in 18 percent. The poll included 750 likely 2012 GOP voters.

Pawlenty did get the most votes in one question: Regardless of who you would vote for, which candidate would you least like to see win the Republican nomination in 2012? Not good. He got 28 percent of the vote. That's even more than Palin.

Pawlenty is still running the national circuit trying to up his profile. He's speaking at the Western Conservative Political Action Committee today. And we have to give him some slack. The poll included Pawlenty with all people likely to already be household names from their previous positions or attempts to run for national office last year. Pawlenty is the Little Engine That Could.

The Rasmussen questions and poll numbers:

1. I know it's a long way off, but suppose the 2012 Republican Presidential Primary were held in your state today. If you had a choice between Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, and Tim Pawlenty, for whom would you vote?

29% Huckabee
24% Romney
18% Palin
14% Gingrich
7% Not sure
6% Some other candidate
4% Pawlenty

2* Regardless of who you would vote for, which candidate would you least like to see win the Republican nomination in 2012....Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich or Tim Pawlenty?

28% Pawlenty
21% Palin
20% Gingrich
9% Romney
9% Not sure
8% Huckabee
5% Some other candidate