Herman Cain Surges Past Rick Perry in Q-Poll

A national poll released by Quinnipiac University found former Gov. Mitt Romney leading the pack of Republican presidential hopefuls -- with businessman Herman Cain brushing past Texas Gov. Rick Perry for second place.

The poll found that Romney topped the field with 22 percent. Cain, who has surged in polls at the state and national level since winning the Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando last month, took second with 17 percent, followed by Perry with 14 percent.

The rest of the candidates trailed in single digits. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has not announced if she will run in 2012, took fourth with 9 percent, followed by former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 8 percent. U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas stood in sixth place with 6 percent. U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania were knotted together in seventh with 3 percent each. Former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah lagged behind with 1 percent.

The Quinnipiac poll of 927 registered Republicans was taken from Sept. 27 through Oct. 3 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percent.