With four weeks to go until Iowa Republicans caucus on Jan. 3, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich has broken through to lead the pack of GOP presidential candidates in the Hawkeye State, according to two polls unveiled on Tuesday.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll found Gingrich leading among likely caucus participants with 33 percent. Former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who had a strong second showing in the Iowa Republican straw poll in Ames back in August, were tied with 18 percent apiece. Gov. Rick Perry of Texas takes fourth with 11 percent.
Despite winning the Ames straw poll, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota places fifth in the poll with 8 percent, followed by former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania with 7 percent. Former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah lags behind with 2 percent.
When the survey was expanded to potential caucus voters, Gingrich still leads with 28 percent, followed by Romney with 18 percent. Paul drops down to third with 16 percent while Perry moves up to 12 percent. Bachmann rises to take 10 percent, while Santorum falls back to 4 percent and Huntsman keeps 2 percent.
This Washington Post-ABC News poll of 858 potential Iowa Republican caucus voters, with a sample of 356 likely voters, was taken Nov. 30-Dec. 4 and had a margin of error of +/- 4 percent. Supporters of Herman Cain, who pulled out of the race on Saturday, were counted as supporters of the candidate they designated as their second choice.
Gingrich also leads a We Ask America poll unveiled on Tuesday morning with 30 percent. Romney stands in second in this poll with 16 percent, followed by Paul in third with 14 percent and Bachmann with 13 percent. Perry follows with 7 percent, while Santorum takes 4 percent and Huntsman trails with 3 percent. The poll of 970 Iowa Republicans was taken Dec. 5 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.15 percent.
Gingrich also led polls of Iowa Republicans unveiled over the weekend and on Monday from the Des Monies Register, NBC News/Marist and Public Policy Polling.
Some of the leading candidates are hitting the airwaves in Iowa. Gingrich launched his first television ad in the Hawkeye State on Monday and the Paul campaign is running two of its own -- including one started on Tuesday that attacks Gingrich.
We wanted to ensure this ad reached as many voters as possible, to debunk the myth that the Newt we are seeing on the 2012 campaign trail is the conservative he has been touted to be all along, said Jesse Benton, Pauls campaign chairman, in a statement on Tuesday. The voters are looking for authentic conservatives who are able to show a decades-long career of consistently walking the walk of constitutional principles, limited government, and promoting sound economic policies. Ron Paul is the only Republican presidential candidate with that record.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
