Mitt Romney the Front-runner or Runner-up?

(blogs.cqpolitics.com).A Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted from July 15 through July 18 places Huckabee as the favorite of 26 percent of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents, 5 percentage points ahead of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (21%), 7 points ahead of soon-to-be-former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin(195) and 16 points ahead of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

But polls differ on this speculative matter, as you'd expect roughly three years out from the next Republican National Convention. A Gallup poll released July 16 showed Romney in the lead at 26 percent, with Palin second at 21 percent -- and Huckabee third at 19 percent.

While this latest survey shows Romney a bit behind Huckabee, he has a personal and family history that suggests being a front-runner isn't all it is cracked up to be.

Remember that in 2007, during the run-up to the 2008 Republican presidential campaign, a number of polls showed Romney ahead of Arizona Sen. John McCain -- the eventual nominee -- whose campaign organization had almost gone broke,And his father, then-Michigan Gov. George Romney, led Richard M. Nixon in late 1966 polling about the 1968 GOP nomination. Nixon, who went on to win the nomination and the presidency.

So perhaps drafting behind Huckabee would put less pressure on Mitt Romney as he works to builds strength for the race's stretch run.