Santorum in middle of NH pack

In the first of a series of early "straw polls" in early presidential primary states, New Hampshire Republicans backed neighboring ex-Massachussetts Gov. Mitt Romney in their poll, as the 2008 presidential contender earned 35 percent of the vote. Green Tree native (and Texas U.S. Rep.) Ron Paul was next with 11 percent, followed by former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (8 percent) Sarah Palin (7 percent), Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann (5 percent) and South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint (5 percent).

Our very own Rick Santorum -- who has been staffing up in the Granite State -- came in ninth place with 3 percent of the vote. A very low total, for sure, and the fact that he's trailing no-chance Herman Cain (a popular African-American tea party speaker) can't be heartening. But the former two-term senator out of Penn Hills got the same total as the much bigger names of Newt Gingrich and Mike Huckabee, so that's a testament to his extensive groundwork there (eight visits since April, by my count).

But he's still got some work to do to get on the national radar. A nationwide poll by Rasmussen out today (Romney No. 1 with 24 percent; Palin second with 19 percent) didn't include Santorum in the options.