As the GOP primary in Iowa grows closer with each passing week, the choices for top contender for the Republican nomination for President seem to be constantly up in the air. For the past several weeks it has been a fight between steady frontrunner Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, and Herman Cain, a businessman from Georgia. But now it seems that some candidates the public might have counted out are back up and fighting for first in the polls.
The Frontrunner
Currently polling at 22%
The only consistency in the polls is that Mitt Romney is generally found at the top. Romney, who has been a frontrunner for some time now, has been free from much of the scandal and controversy that has plagued other campaigns. The exception is “Romneycare,” which was his plan to mandate healthcare to almost all citizens of Massachusetts, providing affordable and/or free healthcare to some. This plan has been criticized for its similarities to “Obamacare.” Romney claims that although his healthcare plan works for the state of Massachusetts it may not be the best plan for all Americans.
The Pizza Guy
Currently polling at 21.3%
Herman Cain, former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, has led an unlikely campaign to the front of the pack. Having had experience with government by working for the Federal Reserve, Cain brings a unique blend of public and private experience to the race.
Being a top contender does come with increased scrutiny, by both the press and the public. While his “9-9-9” economic plan has garnered considerable interest, allegations of sexual misconduct have raised questions about the stamina his campaign has left.
The Resurgent
Currently polling at 17.6%
Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House, has been gaining tremendous support among Republican voters in recent days. Gingrich, who was recently considered an unlikely candidate for the nomination is now considered a real contender for the Republicas. Gingrich’s rise is seen as a response to the trouble both Herman Cain and Rick Perry have had with gaffes and controversies surrounding their candidacies. But the party elder faces uncertainty with voter concern over his own past surrounding marriage infidelity.
The Texan
Currently polling at 9.99%
Rick Perry met setbacks most recently in the GOP debate on the 9th where he could not remember the third government department he would shut down along with education and commerce. That is not the first time Perry has struggled at a podium. In an October speech in New Hampshire many claimed Perry appeared intoxicated and acted out of character.
Perry has also faced criticism when the name of his family’s ranch in Throckmorton County, which incorporated a racist slur, became public. Despite these stumbles, Perry’s campaign is still alive.
The Others
Ron Paul, the long-shot candidate favored by many libertarian college students, is still campaigning strong. While his views on auditing the Federal Reserve have become somewhat mainstream with his fellow candidates, his call to dismantle five departments of government and end all government student loans keeps him low in the polls.
Currently polling at 7.3%
Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann has delighted the Tea Party faction of the Republican Party. And with former Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin not running, that leaves candidate Bachmann with those supporters on her side. Unfortunately, those supporters make up an extremely small minority of the Republican Party.
Currently polling at 4.1%
While Rick Santorum is still struggling with his “Google problem,” he enjoys strong support from religious conservatives. The former senator from Pennsylvania remains low in the polls mostly due to the fact that he is relatively unknown by most Republicans and his rather poor performances at debates.
Currently polling at 1.9%
Former Governor of Utah and Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman says he has more foreign policy experience than any other Republican candidate. Yet, he fails to appeal to the many Republicans nationwide. He is going all in in New Hampshire, where recent polls have him breaking double digits. He recently held his 100th campaign event in the state.
Currently polling at 1.3%
