Poll: Cain Leads In Trio Of States

2012 hopeful Herman Cain appears to be leading the GOP field in North Carolina, Nebraska and West Virginia, according to Public Policy Polling (PPP).

According to a survey of Republican or likely Republican voters, the former Godfather’s Pizza CEO leads with 27 percent in North Carolina, 30 percent in Nebraska and 24 percent in West Virginia.

PPP reports that the bulk of Cain’s support comes from those further to the right. Among conservatives who identified themselves as “very conservative,” he charts at 35 percent in North Carolina, 36 percent in Nebraska and 25 percent in West Virginia.

In a national Washington Post/ABC News poll released Tuesday, Cain shares second place with Texas Governor Rick Perry, coming in at 16 percent. While Romney leads the field with 25 percent, Cain’s ascension to second place represents a meteoric rise. Earlier in the month Cain came in with just 4 percent support.

The poll also shows that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is surging in some states. Gingrich and Romney tie for second place in North Carolina with 17 percent support and Gingrich comes in second in Nebraska and West Virginia with 16 percent and 18 percent respectively.

West Va. Democrat Holds Governorship

The West Virginia democrat tapped to serve as interim governor after Joe Manchin won his Senate seat will continue to serve in the position after narrowly defeating his Republican challenger Tuesday night in the state’s special election.

Earl Ray Tomblin, a former state Senator, beat businessman Bill Maloney by 50 to 47 percent, according to data released by the Associated Press.

Like the recent race in New York’s 9^th Congressional district, the West Virginia campaign took on national significance in the closing days after Republicans attempted to bring President Obama into the equation. One television advertisement released by the Republican Governor’s Association takes Tomblin to task for not resisting the implementation of health care reform.

“Obamacare will jack up taxes on businesses. Destroy jobs,” the ad states. “Stop Obama. Stop Tomblin from implementing Obamacare.”

Tomblin will fill the office until 2012, when former Governor Joe Manchin’s term would have expired. He said Tuesday night that he hopes to run for a full four-year term in the future.

Christie Kills White House Speculation

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) said Tuesday that he will not run for President next year.

Christie held a press conference in the state capital of Trenton to squash rumors that he might jump into the GOP race.

“Over the last few weeks I’ve thought long and hard about this decision. I’ve explored the options. I’ve listened to so many people and considered whether this was something that I needed to take on. But in the end what I’ve always felt was the right decision remains the right decision today. Now is not my time. I have a commitment to New Jersey that I simply will not abandon.”

Despite the fact that he’s only been in office for just over two years, Christie has been courted heavily this summer by Republican donors eager to see him run against the likes of Mitt Romney and Rick Perry.

Christie admitted that he thought long and hard about running, but said that loyalty to his New Jersey constituents is what ultimately guided his decision.

“I’m grateful, I’m grateful to the many people both in New Jersey and around the country who have spoken to me over these last weeks and months. I’m grateful for their confidence in me. I’m grateful for the faith that they place in me. It’s been unbelievably humbling and inspiring. I can only hope that I’m able to live up to this confidence and to make it count doing the job I need to do here at home.”

Poll: Perry Falls, Cain Rises

Rick Perry’s support among Republicans has dwindled, according to a new Washington Post/ABC poll.

The Texas Governor now charts at 16 percent, a sharp 13 point decrease from the previous month.

Perry’s fall can likely be attributed to his poor performance in the last Republican debate, wherein he fumbled his anti-Romney rhetoric and suggested that those who criticized his state’s plan to help illegal immigrants attend college lacked compassion.

While Perry has taken a hit, former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain, long considered a second-tier candidate, has continued to gain momentum. The new poll shows an impressive 12 point jump from the previous month, from 4 to 16 percent.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has maintained steady support, coming in with 25 percent in the previous two polls.

Although the first primary is just months away, the GOP filed has not completely settled. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin have both been rumored to be considering runs. In the latest survey, 42 percent of respondents said that they would like to see Christie run and 31 percent said that they would like to see Palin enter the race. However, 66 percent of respondents also said that they would not like to see Palin run, while 34 percent said Christie should not make a bid.

The poll was conducted among 397 Republican and GOP leaning independents between Sept. 29th and Oct. 2.

Poll: Romney Regains Frontrunner Status

A new national poll says that Mitt Romney is once again the GOP frontrunner.

According to a survey from Fox News, the former Massachusetts Governor now leads Texas Governor Rick Perry by a margin of 23 to 19 percent.

Romney had sat atop of the GOP field until Perry’s impressive entry into the 2012 race in August. However, after a trio of lackluster debate performances and a series of controversial statements, the Texas governor’s campaign appeared to lose steam.

The poll also found an impressive uptick in support for Herman Cain, who recently beat Perry in a Florida straw poll. The former Godfather’s Pizza CEO increased his support from 6 percent in late August to 17 percent in the latest poll.

Newt Gingrich is the only other Republican candidate to reach double digits, coming in with 6 percent. Ron Paul received 6 percent, Jon Hunstman received 4 and both Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum charted at 3 percent.

The poll was conducted in the evenings of September 25th through the 27th among 925 registered voters. It was performed with assistance from Anderson Robbins Research and Shaw & Company Research.