Mitt Romney has pulled far ahead of his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination in New Hampshire, a new Suffolk University/7NEWS poll shows

The former Massachusetts governor was the chocie of 41 percent of GOP voters in the Sept. 18-20 survey of 400 likely Republican primary voters. Margin of error is plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.

Trailing were Texas Rep. Ron Paul at 14 percent; former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman at 10 percent; Texas Gov. Rick Perry, 8 percent; former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has not entered the race, 6 percent; Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, 5 percent, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, 4 percent.

"The anti-Romney candidate at this point could be either Ron Paul, who has polled consistently over the past year, or Jon Huntsman, whose numbers are really growing in the Granite State," said poll director David Paleologos.

Perry, who is running ahead of Romney in most national polls, has visited the state since announcing his candidacy last month. But Romney has worked New Hampshire hard, and the poll found he is viewed favorably by 69 percent of potential GOP voters.

New Hampshire traditionally holds the nation's first presidential primary.