Those who say economic and fiscal issues are their biggest concerns make up the majority of Republican voters, and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney runs best among those voters if the 2012 GOP Presidential Primary in their state was held today.

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is the top choice for those Republicans who put national security first and ties Romney for first among voters who list economic issues alone as the priority. She runs second in nearly every other case with voters from all camps.

Palin, who stunned the political world by announcing her intention to step down as governor by the end of this month, is second only to Romney among all GOP voters as the candidate they’d vote for if the primaries were held today. But she’s also one of two candidates Republican voters least hope ultimately wins the party’s nomination.

Right now, would-be primary voters, choosing among six prominent Republicans, go 25% for Romney, 24% for Palin and 22% for former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. But it’s important to remember that the first primary is roughly two-and-a-half years away.

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Thirty-three percent (33%) of GOP voters list economic issues such as jobs and economic growth as most important, followed by 27% who rate fiscal issues such as taxes and government spending that way. For 15%, national security issues are the priority, while 10% list domestic issues such as Social Security and health care as most important. Five percent (5%) say cultural issues such as same-sex marriage and abortion are number one.

Among those Republicans who put economic issues first, Romney and Palin are tied with 24% support if the state primaries were held today. Huckabee is backed by 20%, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich gets 15% of their vote.

But Romney at 34% is far and away the favorite among those who say fiscal issues are most important, followed by Palin (24%), Huckabee (17%) and Gingrich (14%).

Palin is first with 29% support among voters for whom national security is most important. Romney runs a close second at 26%, with Huckabee at 19% and Gingrich at 16%.

Forty percent (40%) of Republican voters believe Palin has hurt her chances of winning the nomination in 2012 by resigning as governor of Alaska. Twenty-four percent (24%) say the resignation helps her chances, and 28% say it will have no impact on the race.

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