It seems Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul is now the leading Republican presidential candidate in Iowa, according to the latest Public Policy Polling survey released late Sunday.
The Texas Republican, who has for weeks witnessed a surge in support, is leading the Republican field with 23 percent support. Mr. Paul is followed by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney at 20 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 14 percent, former Pennsylvania U.S Senator Rick Santorum at 10 percent, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann at 10 percent, Texas Governor Rick Perry at 10 percent and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman at 4 percent.
The poll results are the first sign that Mr. Paul may be a leading contender for the Iowa caucus. The Texas Republican has spent the past several months campaigning in the state, meeting with supporters and building a campaign foundation that may ultimately provide him with a key victory.
“Paul’s ascendancy is a sign that perhaps campaigns do matter at least a little, in a year where there has been a lot of discussion about whether they still do in Iowa. Twenty-two percent of voters think he’s run the best campaign in the state compared to only 8 percent for Gingrich and 5 percent for Romney,” said PPP in a statement.
The poll finds that Mr. Paul’s base of support continues to rely on younger voters in the Republican contest. Among voters under 45 the Texas Republican has the support of 33 percent of voters, compared to just 16 percent for Mr. Romney and 11 percent for Mr. Gingrich.
The poll is also the latest to show Mr. Gingrich’s support beginning to weaken. The Georgia Republican, who benefited from a tremendous surge in support following Herman Cain’s departure, has struggled to regain momentum as his Republican counterparts have launched a series of political attacks in recent days, among them Mr. Paul’s campaign.
The Texas Republican has spent upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars on ads aimed at disparaging Mr. Gingrich’s record, which Mr. Paul has termed “hypocritical.”
