A new poll has Rep. Michelle Bachmann trailing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in Iowa, where she has all but pinned her hopes for the White House on the outcome of the state’s Republican caucuses early next year.
The telephone survey conducted by the American Research Group (ARG) of 600 likely caucus participants shows Romney in first place with 21 percent and the Minnesota congresswoman in second place with 14 percent.
The survey taken Sept. 22-27 has Texas Gov Rick Perry in third place with 14 percent and Texas Rep. Ron Paul in fourth with 12 percent. The survey also registered support for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin at 4 percent, even though she has yet to declare as a candidate.
The results of the ARG poll varied significantly from a Real Clear Politics average of three previous Iowa surveys taken from mid-to-late August, according to an analysis by the
Des Moines Register.
In those surveys, Perry led the GOP field with an average 24.7 percent, followed by Bachmann with 18.3 percent, and Romney with 18 percent.
The new ARG survey registered a significant drop in Bachmann’s support from the firm’s previous poll in July, which showed her leading the GOP field with 21 percent, followed by Romney with 18 percent, and Perry — who was at the time not a declared candidate — pulling 2 percent.
Romney has spent far less time in Iowa than Bachmann, who has called the state critical to her campaign.
But Romney supporters point out that he is better known than other candidates in the state because of his previous run for the White House.
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