Ron Paul Atop New Iowa Poll

A new Public Policy Polling survey out this morning reveals a potentially explosive new development in the Republican presidential primary race.

Texas Congressman Ron Paul has overtaken former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) as the party’s frontrunner, according to the poll.

At 23 percent, Paul leads former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney by three percentage points. Paul, who eschews mostly libertarian views on policy, has run the most organized campaign of anyone in Iowa. The first-in-the-nation Iowa Caucus takes place in a little over two weeks from today.

Meanwhile, the poll shows Gingrich slipping to 14 percent, followed by former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Texas Governor Rick Perry, who each tied at 10 percent apiece.

Click here to read more…

Poll: Majority Not Looking Forward To Election Season

A heavy majority of Americans are ready for election season to be over, according to a new USA Today/Gallup poll.

70 percent of respondents stated that they cannot wait for the campaign to be over while only 26 percent said they look forward to its start next month with the Iowa caucuses. Among those living in battleground states, 75 percent said they are eager to see the end of the race.

In terms of party, the poll found what appears to be bipartisan agreement. 66 percent of Republicans, 75 percent of independents and 67 percent of Democrats are not looking forward to the 2012 campaign.

The poll was conducted between December 6th and 7th among 1,034 adults.

Poll: Americans Divided Over A Second Obama Term

A majority of Americans don’t believe President Barack Obama deserves to serve a second term, according to a new poll from AP/GfK.

The poll found that 52 percent of Americans said Obama should not win reelection while 43 percent said that he should. The numbers represent a growing margin. In mid-October, 50 percent of AP/GfK respondents said that Obama should not be re-elected while 46 percent said they would back him for a second term.

Despite the apparent lag in support for Obama, he still fares relatively well when pitted against the GOP frontrunners. In a match-up against Mitt Romney, Obama essentially ties, with 47 percent backing the President and 46 percent supporting the former Massachusetts Governor. Against Gingrich, the President holds a clear lead, at 51 to 42 percent.

The poll was conducted between December 8th and 12th but was released Friday. It surveyed 1,000 randomly selected adults.

SC Governor Backs Romney

Nikki Haley, the Governor of South Carolina and a rising star in the GOP, endorsed Mitt Romney for the part’s nominee Friday morning.

During an appearance on Fox News, Haley cited Romney’s private sector experience, heralding the former Massachusetts Governor as a Beltway outsider.

“What I want someone who is not part of the chaos that is Washington,” Haley said. “Someone who knows what it’s like to make a decision to lead.” 

Haley, who was elected in 2010, added that she believed Romney was best suited to beat President Barack Obama in a general election.

South Carolina is a key primary state and recent polls show Romney trailing Gingrich by significant margins.

The South Carolina primary will take place on January 21st. In 2008, the state was won by John McCain, with former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee coming in second. Romney did not campaign in the state.

Candidates Hold Final Pre-Iowa Debate

Republican candidates will hold their final debate before the Iowa Caucus on Thursday night in Sioux City.

The stage will be filled by seven candidates, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Jon Huntsman, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum, and will likely be treated as the final chance for many of the candidates to give their campaign one final boosts as the primary seasons begin.

The debate will air at 9pm on Fox News.

The Iowa caucus takes place on January 3rd and is followed shortly after by the New Hampshire Primary on January 10th.