Poll: Cain Takes Post-Scandal Hit

According to a new poll from Reuters/Ipsos, favorability for the Presidential hopeful Herman Cain has fallen from 66 percent last week to 57 percent this weekend, a 9 point loss, proof that sexual harassment allegations against the former businessman and his campaign’s subsequent handling of the charges have likely hurt the ex-businessman’s standing in the GOP field.

Early last week, a report from Politico revealed that while Cain was heading the National Restaurant Association, he faced sexual harassment charges from two female employees. Although Cain maintained that he has never harassed anybody, settlement payments were given to two of the employees.

Making matters harder for Cain, the new survey found that voters are divided over whether they believe his side of the story, with 53 percent responding that they believe Cain did, in fact, sexually harass his employees.

Cain campaign’s handling of the charges has raised eyebrows. Cain initially said that he did not believe a settlement was agreed to, but later the same day said that at least one was. He attributed the shift in his explanation to remembering new details. The campaign then pointed to the Perry campaign as the possible source for the story, but then retracted the accusation.

Cain has spent the majority of the election cycle as a long-shot candidate. However, after winning the Florida straw poll in late September, Cain surged to front-tier status, topping GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney in multiple polls.

The new poll, conducted among 1,007 respondents on Friday and Saturday, found that while Romney holds a stronger approval rating than Cain, 63 percent, the former businessman still leads Texas Governor Rick Perry, who charts at 47 percent.