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The clear-cut #2 candidate in the GOP right now (Larry Downing/Reuters)

For most of the 2012 campaign cycle, Mitt Romney has either been a clear leader in the GOP field, or he has been thrust into a co-leader role with a perpetually shifting anti-Mitt.

Not anymore. Tuesday's polling data confirms that Mitt Romney can no longer accurately been dubbed the "co-leader" in the GOP presidential sweepstakes. He is clearly #2, and former Speaker Newt Gingrich is clearly numero uno.

First, the data, and then the analysis beneath the fold:

NATIONAL (Gallup): Gingrich 37, Romney 22, Paul 8, Perry 7, Bachmann 6, Santorum 3, Huntsman 1

NATIONAL (Poll Position): Gingrich 37, Romney 23, Paul 7, Bachmann 6, Perry 3, Huntsman 2, Santorum 2

COLORADO (PPP): Gingrich 37, Romney 18, Bachmann 9, Paul 6, Perry 4, Santorum 4, Huntsman 3

IOWA (ABC/WaPo): Gingrich 33, Paul 18, Romney 18, Perry 11, Bachmann 8, Santorum 7, Huntsman 2

IOWA (CBS/NYT): Gingrich 31, Romney 17, Paul 16, Perry 11, Bachmann 9, Santorum 4, Huntsman 1

IOWA (We Ask America--R): Gingrich 30, Romney 16, Paul 14, Bachmann 13, Perry 7, Santorum 4, Huntsman 3

NORTH CAROLINA (PPP): Gingrich 51, Romney 14, Bachmann 8, Paul 7, Perry 4, Santorum 3, Huntsman 1

SOUTH CAROLINA (Winthrop): Gingrich 38, Romney 22, Perry 9, Cain 7, Bachmann 5, Paul 4, Santorum 3, Huntsman 1

For what it is worth, we also got a smattering of general election returns on the national level Tuesday, with the president trailing only when Rasmussen paired Obama against "Republican Jesus" (also known as a Generic Republican):

NATIONAL (Daily Kos/SEIU by PPP): Obama d. Generic Republican (48-43); Obama d. Gingrich (50-42)

NATIONAL (Rasmussen): Generic Republican d. Obama (49-41)

Jump across the fold for some thoughts about what Tuesday's numbers are telling us.