Newt Gingrich Surges to No. 1 in Iowa Poll

With less than a month to go until Iowa caucuses, the GOP nomination there is looking like a three-candidate race—and leading the way is Newt Gingrich, reports the Des Moines Register. Gingrich was the top choice of 25% of likely caucus voters in the latest Selzer & Co. poll, followed by Ron Paul in second with 18%, and Mitt Romney in third with 16%. Further behind were Michele Bachmann and the now-defunct candidate, Herman Cain, at 8%, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum at 6%, and Jon Huntsman at 2%. The poll's margin of error was 4.9 percentage points.

Gingrich's surge was remarkable considering he received just 7% from a poll in Iowa at the end of October—a poll that Cain had led with 23%. Even better news for Gingrich is that he is also the leading second choice among those polled, with 46% of respondents choosing him either first or second. Ron Paul is also building support steadily, up from 12% a month ago and just 7% in the summer. However, a spokesman for Selzer & Co. emphasized that there is still a high level of uncertainty in Iowa, with 11% of respondents saying they are uncommitted to their first choice and 60% saying they are willing to change their mind. (More Iowa stories.)