MIAMI(USA),Jan31,2012: White House hopeful Mitt Romney has opened up a commanding double-digit lead in Florida against main rival Newt Gingrich in their Republican nomination battle , the latest two polls showed on Sunday. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, considered the party establishment's favored candidate,was routing former House speaker Gingrich by 15 points, 42% to 27%, just two days before the crucial Florida primary, according to an NBC/Marist poll. The Miami Herald in its poll published on Sunday shows Romney ahead by 11 points. Both surveys showed former senator Rick Santorum a distant third and libertarianleaning congressman Ron Paul fourth. Gingrich insisted on Fox News today that the race for the large southeastern state would be "close" , but the poll figures showed otherwise.
