InTrade Watch on 2012 GOP Hopefuls

1. (1) Mitt Romney - 26.9%
2. (2) Tim Pawlenty - 16%
3. (3) Mitch Daniels - 8.5%
4. (7) Michelle Bachmann - 7.6%
5. (-) Donald Trump - 6.1%
6. (5) Mike Huckabee - 5%
6. (9) Jon Huntsman - 5%
6. (4) Sarah Palin - 5%
9. (8) Haley Barbour - 4.5%
10.(6) Newt Gingrich - 3.9%

Rising: Mitt Romney, Michelle Bachmann, Donald Trump
Falling: Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Chris Christie

If Sarah Palin plans to run for president, she'd better do it soon. Michelle Bachmann is ramping up her efforts and getting the supporters, and Palin looks less relevant with each passing week.

Meanwhile Mike Huckabee is another sideline-sitter who needs to decide if he's going to do it or not. He fares well in the occassional poll, but he also looks like one who doesn't want to abandon his cushy Fox News job for another run, even if it's to just block Romney.

Mitt Romney is making the trips and speeches and is absorbing more and more the front-runner mantle. Tim Pawlenty and Mitch Daniels, methinks, really need the first debate to truly get their momentum going.

And Donald Trump, well, he's making headlines with the birther thing. Maybe it's all an elaborate stunt to boost the ratings for Celebrity Apprentice.

InTrade Watch on GOP 2012 Nominee

InTrade's changed their look.

1. (1) Mitt Romney - 24.6%
2. (4) Tim Pawlenty - 18.1%
3. (2) Mitch Daniels - 10.2%
4. (3) Sarah Palin - 6.2%
5. (5) Mike Huckabee - 6%
6. (7) Newt Gingrich - 5.7%
7. (10) Michelle Bachmann - 4.3%
8. (9) Haley Barbour - 4.2%
9. (6) Jon Huntsman - 4%
10. (-) Chris Christie - 2.8%

Rising: Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, Michelle Bachmann, Chris Christie
Falling: Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Jon Huntsman, John Thune (8)

Thune officially declared he wouldn't run for president, so he's dropped off. Christie has said repeatedly he won't run, but he still lands in the top ten with many a conservative hoping the New Jersey governor will change his mind.

There seem to be three camps right now. Camp #1 is for Mitt. Safe, front-runner, he's been vetted, he's good on the economy. Camp #2 is for the anti-Mitt, looking for someone with more charisma but still decent credentials, and right now their hopes seem to be with Tim Pawlenty. Camp #3 is the Tea Party, and as Palin's stock falls, Bachmann's rises.

InTrade Watch on GOP 2012 Post-CPAC

Based on Bid%

1. (1) Mitt Romney - 24%
2. (6) Mitch Daniels - 11.4%
3. (3) Sarah Palin - 11.1%
4. (5) Tim Pawlenty - 8.8%
5. (4) Mike Huckabee - 8.5%
6. (7) Jon Huntsman - 5.2%
7. (8) Newt Gingrich - 4.5%
8. (2) John Thune - 4%
9. (10) Haley Barbour - 3.1%
10. (9) - Michelle Bachmann - 2.9%

Rising: Mitt Romney, Mitch Daniels
Falling: John Thune

I don't remember hearing anything about John Thune's appearance at CPAC, but maybe that's exactly why his stock plummeted. Now Mitch Daniels is the hot ticket, and if I had some extra cash, I'd short-sell him. Seems like Romney's hanging on to front-runner status, and while I get the feeling most Republicans want someone different, they'll rally around if there's no better alternative. It's early enough in the process that they're looking around for that alternative.

Donald Trump (1.7%), Rom Paul (1.6%) and Rudy Guiliani (1.5%) aren't getting any traction yet. GOP stars that have insisted they aren't running are staying out of the top ten as well, like Chris Christie (1.7%), Jeb Bush (1.1%), Rick Perry (1%) and Marco Rubio (.3%).

InTrade Watch on 2012 GOP Presidential Hopefuls - 1/11

The latest InTrade poll on the Republican nominee for president in 2012, based on Bid%.

1. (1) Mitt Romney - 21%
2. (2) Sarah Palin - 13%
3. (3) John Thune - 11.7%
4. (6) Tim Pawlenty - 8.8%
5. (4) Mike Huckabee - 8.4%
6. (5) Mitch Daniels - 7.9%
7. (9) Newt Gingrich - 4.2%
8. (8) Mike Pence - 3.1%
9. (7) Haley Barbour - 2%
10. (-) Chris Christie - 1.8%

Rising: Tim Pawlenty, Mike Huckabee, Mitch Daniels
Falling: Sarah Palin, Haley Barbour, Jeb Bush (10)

Sarah Palin has taken a hit in the aftermath of the Tucson shooting. She was at 19% last month.

Tim Pawlenty is pacing himself nicely, about what Huckabee was doing in 2007.

There are seem to be many Republicans who are positioning themselves for 2016, assuming the GOP nominee loses in 2012. They include Chris Christie, Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Jon Huntsman, Bobby Jindal and Rick Perry.

A recent Iowa caucus poll had their top five as:

Mike Huckabee - 24%
Mitt Romney - 19%
Sarah Palin - 11%
Newt Gingrich - 8%
Tim Pawlenty - 4%

InTrade Watch on 2012 GOP Presidential Hopefuls - 12/10

From InTrade, based on Bid%:

1. (1) Mitt Romney - 21.9%
2. (2) Sarah Palin - 19%
3. (3) John Thune - 11.2%
4. (5) Mike Huckabee - 6.7%
5. (8) Mitch Daniels - 6.5%
6. (4) Tim Pawlenty - 5.8%
7. (10) Haley Barbour - 4.3%
8. (-) Mike Pence - 4.1%
9. (7) Newt Gingrich - 4%
10.(6) Jeb Bush - 4%

Rising: Mike Huckabee, Mitch Daniels, Haley Barbour, Mike Pence
Falling: Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, Jeb Bush, Paul Ryan (9)

I should point out that Romney's percentage has dipped and Palin's has increased since last month, and it wouldn't surprise me if in a month or two, she passes him. Thune's percentage has also dipped. I'm not really sure why he's had so much support early from this site, but it's looking like much is going to hinge on that first GOP debate.