In the latest GOP primary poll, Texas Governor Rick Perry has jumped out to a big lead in the crowded race for the Republican ticket in the 2012 presidential election.
The Rasmussen Reports survey, taken Monday night, showed 29 percent of voters supported Perry, a double-digit lead ahead of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's 18 percent and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann's 13 percent.
Rounding out the rest of the field, Texas Rep. Ron Paul received 9 percent of the vote, Godfather's Pizza businessman Herman Cain received 6 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich got 5 percent and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman each got 1 percent. Sixteen percent of Republican voters remained undecided.
The poll surveyed 1,000 Republican primary voters nationwide.
"Gov. Perry is enjoying a bounce from entering the race at precisely the right time," polling firm president Scott Rasmussen told The Wall Street Journal. "Now the difficult part begins for the new frontrunner. It's much easier winning support when people are hoping you will get in the race, than retaining support when you are the frontrunner."
Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, who was originally expected to be a frontrunner, dropped out of the race Sunday after finishing a distant third in the Iowa straw poll behind Tea Party favorites Bachmann and Paul.
Perry, who only officially announced his candidacy Saturday, came in sixth place in the Iowa straw poll with less than 5 percent of the votes, barely ahead of Romney and Gingrich. Perry, Romney, Gingrich and Huntsman did not actively campaign for support in the straw poll.
"I full well believe I'm going to win," Perry told South Carolina voters on a conference call before delivering his first speech as a candidate, according to Huffington Post.
The 61-year-old candidate has blamed President Barack Obama for "rudderless" leadership and said he wants to cut taxes and de-regulate businesses to spark an economic recovery.
The Rasmussen Reports survey, taken Monday night, showed 29 percent of voters supported Perry, a double-digit lead ahead of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's 18 percent and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann's 13 percent.
Rounding out the rest of the field, Texas Rep. Ron Paul received 9 percent of the vote, Godfather's Pizza businessman Herman Cain received 6 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich got 5 percent and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman each got 1 percent. Sixteen percent of Republican voters remained undecided.
The poll surveyed 1,000 Republican primary voters nationwide.
"Gov. Perry is enjoying a bounce from entering the race at precisely the right time," polling firm president Scott Rasmussen told The Wall Street Journal. "Now the difficult part begins for the new frontrunner. It's much easier winning support when people are hoping you will get in the race, than retaining support when you are the frontrunner."
Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, who was originally expected to be a frontrunner, dropped out of the race Sunday after finishing a distant third in the Iowa straw poll behind Tea Party favorites Bachmann and Paul.
Perry, who only officially announced his candidacy Saturday, came in sixth place in the Iowa straw poll with less than 5 percent of the votes, barely ahead of Romney and Gingrich. Perry, Romney, Gingrich and Huntsman did not actively campaign for support in the straw poll.
"I full well believe I'm going to win," Perry told South Carolina voters on a conference call before delivering his first speech as a candidate, according to Huffington Post.
The 61-year-old candidate has blamed President Barack Obama for "rudderless" leadership and said he wants to cut taxes and de-regulate businesses to spark an economic recovery.
