Newt leads Iowa; Bachmann, Perry fall (Politico)

Newt Gingrich has taken the lead in Iowa, despite a minimal organization in the state, according to a new Des Moines Register poll out Saturday.

Gingrich is at 25 percent, with Ron Paul at 18 percent and Mitt Romney dropping to 16 percent.

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And showing the growth potential for the former House speaker, 43 percent of those polled said Gingrich was their second choice.

The 8 percent who backed Herman Cain ? who suspended his campaign Saturday ? in the poll are up for grabs. And there?s also 11 percent undecided, with just a month to go before the caucus as the former House speaker?s late surge continues.

Meanwhile, the candidates who have focused their campaigns on Iowa ? and will need strong showings there ? are languishing: Michele Bachmann is at 8 percent, with Rick Perry and Rick Santorum both at 6 percent.

Gingrich has had a rapid rise in popularity and received just 7 percent in the Register?s late October poll. That?s a contrast to Romney, who was leading in Iowa despite not focusing his campaign there until recently. The former Massachusetts governor has been bulking up his organization in the state in recent weeks and said Saturday morning that he may travel to the state again next week.

The steepest drop, though, may be that of Bachmann. After winning the Ames Straw Poll in August and once seeming like she could take the caucuses, the Iowa native has sunk. She?s just barely ahead of Perry, who was expected to be her main competition in the state when he first jumped into the race in August. Their efforts continue: Bachmann was in the state last week, and the Texas governor has been buying television ads on the local stations.

And in a measure of how little retail politicking seems to be registering this year, Santorum?s tied for last with Perry, despite visiting all 99 counties in Iowa ? a feat no other candidate has matched.

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who?s not competing in Iowa, was at 2 percent.

The poll, conducted for more than 50 years, is considered on the leading indicators of voter preference leading up to the Iowa caucus. It was conducted Nov. 27-30, and has 4.9 percent margin of error.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/politico_rss/rss_politico_mostpop/http___www_politico_com_news_stories1211_69715_html/43797163/SIG=11m6deadb/*http%3A//www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/69715.html

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