U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is leading in the polls on the eve of Florida’s presidential primary.

The former Massachusetts governor was backed by 43 percent of likely Florida voters in a poll conducted by Quinnipiac University on Monday, local time, just one day ahead of the state's primary.

The approval rating of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, whose popularity has slipped since his victory in the South Carolina primary, stood at 29 percent.

Romney is expected to recover his strong momentum if he wins the Florida primary.