A new survey by left-leaning Public Policy Polling (PPP) finds the Texas congressman now leading the GOP nomination field in Iowa, where voters cast the first ballots of the 2012 presidential contest on Jan. 3.
Paul’s assent comes as Newt Gingrich joins a long lists of fading GOP stars seeking the 2012 nomination. The former House speaker has dropped nine percentage points nationally since the beginning of the month, according to the Gallup daily tracking poll, while Herman Cain, last month’s GOP darling, has dropped from the race altogether amid sex-scandals and fundraising atrophy.
Paul has raised more than $4 million since Friday in his latest “money bomb,” aimed at helping him in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada — which all hold early caucuses or primaries.
In Iowa, Gingrich is leading Paul by an average of one point, according to several recent surveys compiled by RealClearPolitics. Mitt Romney is third in the Hawkeye State, according to the RCP data.