Romney ahead in Iowa, New Hampshire

New polls out today show Mitt Romney with sizable leads in both Iowa and New Hampshire, where voters will cast the first votes in the Republican nomination race.

In Iowa, according to Zogby, Romney has support from 31 percent of likely caucus-goers. Mike Huckabee has jumped to second with 15 percent, Rudy Giuliani has 11 percent, Fred Thompson has 10 percent, and John McCain has 8 percent.

In New Hampshire, according to Rasmussen Reports, Romney has backing from 32 percent of likely primary voters, ahead of Giuliani with 17 percent, McCain at 16 percent, Huckabee at 10 percent, and Thompson at 7 percent. Romney's number is his highest so far in the Granite State of any Rasmussen poll.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, has been investing time and money in a strategy to do well in both Iowa and New Hampshire, banking on that catapulting him into the final candidates contesting the nomination. He continues to trail in national surveys. In a NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released Wednesday, he stood fourth with 11 percent support.