Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, right, with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in 2012. AP/Charles Dharapak A new poll indicates two leading contenders have actually lost ground since announcing their interest in the 2016 race for the White House.

According to a NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey released Monday, both 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) are less popular than they were last year.

Last September, when Romney was repeatedly insisting he would not run for president again, 32% of Americans and 60% of Republicans viewed him favorably.

Romney's popularity has since dipped. According to the NBC poll, just 27% of Americans and 52% of Republicans have a positive rating for him. The drop comes after Romney revealed his interest in a potential 2016 run in January.

Bush's ratings have also taken a small tumble since December, when he announced he was taking a major step toward running for president and forming a leadership PAC. In November, 26% of Americans and 44% of Republicans viewed Bush positively. Now 19% of Americans and 37% of Republicans say the same.

Bush, who has not run for office in over a decade, is lesser known than Romney. He nevertheless has national stature at least partially thanks to the prominence of his family. Both his father, former President George H.W. Bush, and his brother former President George W. Bush have recently served in the Oval Office.

Click here for more details on the NBC/Wall Street Journal poll.