Here are the thoughts of one, and only one, independent voter. I will very likely vote for Romney if he is the republican nominee. I would not be likely to vote for Santorum, though I would be willing to read more about him and listen to his case. Newt is an absolute non-starter for me (please note - FOR ME), and I would consider a Ron Paul third party candidate if newt is the nominee. Newt does not, in my opinion, possess the necessary moral or ethical character to be POTUS. I simply cannot imagine a president who was censured, disgraced, and run out of the congress, by his peers, including most republicans. By the way, gingrich has never won even a statewide election.

I have friends of both right and left leanings as well as others who self-identify as independents. My unscientific, no link FEELING is that some democrats and most independents would vote for Romney, while few democrats and independents would vote for Newt. It seems unlikely in that event, that newt could prevail in the general. Again, this is personal opinion and may be entirely wrong, but my insticts have been pretty good in the past, for example when I predicted an Obama victory the moment after watching McCain name Pallin as his running mate.