Iowa Caucus 2012: Romney, Bachmann Lead In Poll

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- A new Iowa Poll shows national Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney and Tea Party favorite Michele Bachmann leading among the state's likely GOP caucus-goers.

The poll conducted for The Des Moines Register shows Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, with support from 23 percent in Iowa. Bachmann, the Minnesota representative who plans to launch her campaign in Iowa on Monday, has support from 22 percent.

(Check out HuffPost Pollster's national trend estimate for the 2012 GOP contest. See results with Sarah Palin and without.)

According to the survey, former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain is running in third in the Hawkeye State at 10 percent. While perhaps not as well known as some of his rival GOP contenders, Cain has found success in appealing to conservative voters on the trail since announcing his candidacy last month.

Romney was the No. 2 finisher in the caucuses in his bid for the 2008 GOP nomination. Bachmann is a three-term congresswoman and newer face in the 2012 White House mix.

The results are based on telephone interviews with 400 likely Republican Iowa caucus-goers from June 19 to 22. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.

Romney has said he plans to run a scaled-down Iowa campaign, compared to the all-out, $10-million effort he waged for the 2008 caucuses.

Tim Pawlenty has been the most aggressive about campaigning in Iowa, having lined up top Iowa and national consultants, been a frequent visitor to the state and ran the 2012 campaign's first Republican candidate television advertisements last week.

However, only 6 percent of Iowa Republicans expected to attend the 2012 caucuses prefer the former Minnesota governor as their choice, according to the poll.

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, whose campaign has struggled since widespread staff departures this month, has support from 7 percent, the same as Texas Representative Ron Paul.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum has 4 percent, followed by former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has said he will not campaign in Iowa, with 2 percent.

 

 

Comments

[CarlIII]

11:57 AM on 07/02/2011

Rick Perry and Jeb Bush are waiting to see if Bachmann can dethrone the Koch Brothers Mitt. If she does they will "Throw their Hats into the ring" to "save" the GOP from a woman who has no chance against the President. If Mitt gets the nomination he will most likey lose as well so they will bide their time until 2016. Then Koch Brothers will have to pick one of them to back. I also think Perry may lobby this time for the VP nomination.

[ASpeciallady62]

11:44 PM on 06/30/2011

Lord I hope this is the best you republicans got? If Bill thinks your nice.Well of course you are a woman. Maybe he would let you under his desk. I'm sorry that is a low blow.Michele your history knowledge needs to improve.Do you know who discovered America? Please don't say Columbus.I guess you are a good christain? Yet would you call a good christain some one who is gay? Would you call someone a good christain who commits hate crimes against Abortion Clinics? When is a hate crime a christain thing to do?Do you think all woman who go to Plan Parenthood go there for abortions?How do you think on birth contol? Do you know how many lives are saved each year from Medicare & Medicade. Is abortion wrong? Is it ok to let people die because of no Medicare & Medicade? Please answer all questions on the Huffington Post. I look foward 2 your answer.If your brave enough?

[Ronnie Avatar Dixon]

06:42 PM on 06/28/2011

Most of these candidates have too much political baggage to win the presidency. Tim Pawlenty or Ron Paul have the greatest advantages in the long-run in the 2012 election cycle.

[onasphere]

07:34 PM on 06/27/2011

Vote "NO" on the Theocratic Party.

[Fletch55]

06:25 PM on 06/27/2011

We need Herman Cain to win in 2012. Romney has to much in common with Obama policy and Bachmann lacks the business background and expirence to fix the economy and kick start jobs. Herman Cain 2012.

[Judy Rauch]

01:36 PM on 06/27/2011

This amy be key GOP state but where will she be when she gets to other States. You do know GOP that its not just FL,IA.MA and SC you have to win in? You guys talk like there is only 4 states. Its a lond way to go and winning one state cacus is hardly winning it all.

[JoanMeijer]

01:17 PM on 06/27/2011

That's interesting - we can expect good news for Bachmann since she's a native daughter - but Romney isn't running in Iowa - which means Pawlenty is in deep doo doo.

[peterlisbon]

12:56 PM on 06/27/2011

Just remember this. Pat Robertson won the Iowa caucus in 1988 and Huckabee in 2008. I am sure Bachmann will do ok in Iowa but New Hampshire voters will vomit her out -- they cannot stand religious zealots up there -- I am from there and should know. That will not mean she will finish at NH, but Romney and Huntsman will still strip votes away from her and T-Paw is not finished. Net-net, the Republican clown car rolls on -- Now, if our half-baked Alaskan steps in -- well all bets are off

[ArtMaggot]

09:31 AM on 06/27/2011

Bachmann Romney Overdrive, taking care of business 2012.

[Mixguru]

09:41 PM on 06/27/2011

What's the next line? Oh yeah, "so start your slaving job and get your pay"

[dawlishgal]

09:26 AM on 06/27/2011

I am not attacking her for being a foster parent, just for doing it for the money, then advocating policies that will hurt kids in jeopardy. Same as the way she earned her living as a collector for the IRS, and now wants people to wriggle out of paying taxes however they can. It is her cynical USE of the foster parent thing to make herself look compassionate, at the same time she advocates cutting social safety nets to the bone.

[David Wertheimer]

07:49 AM on 06/27/2011

It is Funny the very supporters Of Obama, cant even see 17%or more of them are out of a job due to Obama's HC policy.I am not laughing at you But you gotta admit it is kinda funny. Obama. He worked on the issue of least importance of all Americans and overlooked the 1Issue that had the most importance.to us all is, Job. Liberal policies don't seem to work.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/06/19/eveningnews/main20072425.shtml

Obama said it himself he does not care about the economy reaching a Double dip. The numbers don't lie His action are louder than words.and it is posted all over this liberal News blog.Stop making Excuses and start thinking. We need another Change.

Michelle Bachman just may be just what this country needs, cause Obama is just not cutting it.and Bachman will take these issues to Obama, I wonder if Romney will?

[Petey131]

02:17 PM on 06/27/2011

Yawn

[gts31bumbee]

03:07 PM on 06/27/2011

A preposterous comment ! 17% increase in unemployment is due to Obama's HC policy !

[David Wertheimer]

03:22 PM on 06/27/2011

Really? What is preposterous is that he Focused on HC not on Stimulating job growth so it is not as preposterous as you might think. The Big issue in america then was jobs and now it is an even bigger issue.

[David Wertheimer]

03:19 PM on 06/29/2011

17% among blacks.

my bad that is due to Obama's healthcare policy. All those blacks that fight so hard to save him, and he is not doing anything to save them.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20069712-503544.html this is why

[Ben Winslow]

02:12 AM on 06/27/2011

If Bachmann wins in Iowa, she will allow each farmer to count every stalk of corn as a Foster Child.

[Dale Birmingham]

12:48 AM on 06/27/2011

Mitt Romney has more power in his left pinky to breakup Obama's mess he's gotten America into and rethread the economy. Obama can't keep blaming Bush over and over again. I love the fact the Romney has a real plan and will implement it and get the job done. We should all vote for him, not with emotions but with conviction for real change.

[Ben Winslow]

02:13 AM on 06/27/2011

Pull that tongue in....you're getting my keypad wet!

[Cacey]

07:14 AM on 06/27/2011

Romney did some excellent things both as governor and as head of the Olympics. But he's changed his mind so dramatically now that he's running for President, I'd ask you which Romney? I'll take the old one but not the new one. At the same time, there may be hope as he refused to sign the anti-abortion pledge.

[guywhocantype]

12:48 AM on 06/27/2011

Not worried about Bachmann - remember that Trump was topping these polls a few short weeks ago.

[youmayberight]

10:31 PM on 06/26/2011

"Michele" Bachmann? And is Mr. Bachmann's first name "Barack"?