Wealthier Republicans prefer Mitt Romney in 2012

Policy or social issues aren't the only factors that might impact which candidate voters will support in the upcoming 2012 Republican presidential primary.

A Gallup Poll released Monday suggests a voter's income also has a major influence on their 2012 pick. The survey finds wealthier Republicans support Mitt Romney, while less affluent members of the party prefer Sarah Palin.

According to the poll, 21 percent of GOP voters making more than $90,000 a year support Romney's bid for the GOP nomination. But among voters making less than $24,000 a year, his support drops to just 9 percent.

But the results are opposite for Palin: 22 percent of lower income Republicans want her to win the GOP nod, but she gets just 7 percent support from GOP voters making more than $90,000 a year.

In the middle is Mike Huckabee, who performs best with GOP voters making between $24,000 and $59,000 per year. He and Romney are virtually tied with voters who make between $60,000 and $89,999.

Huckabee also performs well with another socioeconomic group: GOP voters who don't have college degrees. According to Gallup, 19 percent of voters who didn't graduate from college support Huckabee's bid for the GOP nomination, compared to 16 percent for Palin and 13 percent for Romney.

Meanwhile, 21 percent of college grads prefer Romney, compared to 17 percent for Huckabee and 9 percent for Palin.

(Photo of Romney and Palin: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)