Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - Herman Cain and Mitt Romney lead, and are statistically tied, in a fresh poll in the first-in-the-nation presidential caucus state.
Released late Saturday, the Des Moines Register's Iowa poll of likely Republican caucus-goers shows the conservative Georgia businessman at 23%, with the former Massachusetts governor at 22%. The difference is well within the survey's margin of error.
Other results from the survey showed Texas Rep. Ron Paul at 12%; Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann at 8%; Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich tied at 7%; former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, 5%; and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, 1%.
The numbers somewhat mirror the most recent CNN/Time/ORC Poll for Iowa.
The results seem to turn conventional political wisdom on its head.
Both Cain and Romney are leading despite spending scant time in Iowa. Cain has campaigned in Iowa only once since late summer. And Romney has spent only six days in the Hawkeye state this entire political cycle, according to the Des Moines Register's candidate tracker.
In contrast, Santorum, Paul and Gingrich have each barnstormed across the state – but remain saddled with low numbers in various polls. That raises questions of whether or not their messages are resonating with voters.
Bachmann's poll results are also noteworthy.
The congresswoman won the first big contest of the presidential cycle – Iowa's Ames Straw Poll – in August. Since then, her poll numbers have plummeted. Between the June survey and the current one, Bachmann's support has fallen 14 percentage points.
The Des Moines Register conducted its poll October 23 to 26. It surveyed 400 likely GOP caucus-goers. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.9%.
–Follow Shannon Travis on Twitter: @ShanTravisCNN
Poor Huntsman. Only he knows why he is running for Republican nomination. The best of the lot yet the most disliked. He should have known better. His education and understanding of the world is irrelevant to the Republicans of today. The republican voters are a bunch of buffoons who has not affection for the smartest of their lot. He should either run as an independent or challenge Obama in a democratic primary.
Mitt Romney is clearly the winner here!!!!! It doesnt matter if you hate Mormons, or hate large successful capitalists, or are leary of good looking ( slick ) well spoken individuals......TOO BAD BABY, Romneys the guy. Suck it up and shut up!
Mitt Romney would not beat President Obama in the general election. Romney's nomination would lead to a summer of advertisements highlighting the Republican's rampant duplicity, and he would be written off as a flip flop. Moreover, Romney's protectionist approach to Chinese exports would keep economic conservatives home in November of 2012. They won't vote for liberal fiscal policy.
Who Cares there was a real poll this weekend, the Iowa Straw poll and Ron Paul won in a landslide, 82%. No one cares about your bias telephone polls they are rigged calling mostly old land line users.
Pul wins endorsments in Iowa. Ron Paul 2012!!!
2 loosers! GO OBAMA 2012.
GIve up Gingrich
It's it obvious to Gingrich, in particular' that he's simply not even being considered for the GOD nomination? Don't we all know why? Doesn't the candidate himself know why? It is as a result of his immorality, period. Morality does count, even though Gingrich is trying hard to prove otherwise. His experience is rich, but his morals are extremely.
Why don't they conduct a poll on the candidates moral standard in relation to their electability? This might be the only way to convince Gingrich that he's the least as far as electability is concerned.
Gingrich should just give it up, this would show the electorate that, at least, he has some moral conscience left in him. The electorate has already given up on him, so he should just give up, period.
Well, at this rate, EVERY candidate will top some poll in Iowa ...
GIve up Gingrich
It's it obvious to Gingrich, in particular, that he's simply not even being considered for the GOD nomination? Don't we all know why? Doesn't the candidate himself know why? It is as a result of his immorality, period. Morality does count, even though Gingrich is trying hard to prove otherwise. His experience is rich, but his morals are extremely.
Why don't they conduct a poll on the candidates moral standard in relation to their electability? This might be the only way to convince Gingrich that he's the least as far as electability is concerned.
Gingrich should just give it up, this would show the electorate that, at least, has something named moral conscience even though he's so immoral. The electoral has already given up on him, so why doesn't he just give up, Period.
It's really starting to look like a Cain-Romney race for the nomination. Perry is supposed to have a big funding advantage on Cain, but apparently Cain's campaign is bringing in a lot more money now. After surviving the Week of 1000 Gaffes, Cain might be almost indestructable. Hoping to have him as a finalist instead of Perry might be a miscalculation for Romney's campaign. http://bit.ly/utDacV
that article isn't even front page, or either of the 4 selected articles to be in latest news political ticker... shame.
What? Are you serious. Ron Paul just smacked up both with 82%!!! Wow CNN get real!
The GOP establishment (Karl Rove, the Koch brothers, Grover Norquist) will never let Cain be the nominee, but they are hoping he will split the African-American vote.
Lord knows the Republicans don't have a record of accomplishment to run on, so they have to resort to this (along with doing everything they can to take down our country and then try to blame it on President Obama) in their efforts to regain power.
Pathetic and anti-American: That's today's GOP!
So you publish poll results of 400 likely voters, that based on the tables, are all 50+? Yeah, that's pretty credible. Good one CNN. Don't believe these polls people. They are trying to influence your vote!
It makes perfect sense. The more the republicans spend time in Iowa, the less Iowans like them. If Cain and Romney spent more time in Iowa, they would go down in the polls too. I'm not sure why that is, but I think it has something to do with Iowans learning what the candidates would do if they won office.
I seem to have a problem with people who judge other people. For those who do not like the candidate Newt Gingrich. Just look at yourself for a change! We have all done things we are not proud of. We have all made mistakes. I think its unfair and unjust because of his past to say that he can't be President. I mean just look at Clinton he was so close to being impeached and the government for whatever reason at that time decided not too. I'm a moderate conservative and I feel Clinton was a very good candidate so before you start casting judgement on someone else for their past, which by the way he has fixed. Look at yourselves before you start casting blame. I mean that is one of the reasons I do not call myself a Christian anymore is because of hypocrites out there that want to focus on one thing rather then the big picture. As long as it doesn't affect my life then what is there to worry about or complain. I quote "A man with a gripe is never right. A man with a solution has in many terms been right all along" (Gabriel Marc Beaven)"
You have the Godfather of stale pizza and a "yes man" who believes in fairy tales.
What a stagnation Romney is at? No move at all on polls!!! He should be most worried in the entire group of contenders.
Yawn. Who cares?
GOP and Tea thugs further destroy this nation....o.k,