August 16, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Only two days after formally announcing his presidential bid, pro-life and pro-family Texas Gov. Rick Perry has pulled far ahead of previous neck-and-neck competitor Mitt Romney in a poll gauging the GOP 2012 primary race.
In a Rasmussen Reports survey of 1,000 likely Republican voters conducted August 15, Perry won 29 percent support, while former Massachusetts governor Romney came in eleven points behind at 18 percent.
U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, who barely edged out fellow Rep. Ron Paul in Saturday’s Ames straw poll, gathered 13 percent support. Paul received nine percent, followed by Herman Cain at six percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at five percent. Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman each received one percent.
A survey just over two weeks ago had found Romney ahead with 22 percent support, followed by the yet-unannounced Perry at 18 percent.
“Governor Perry is enjoying a bounce from entering the race at precisely the right time”, said pollster Scott Rasmussen. “Now the difficult part begins for the new frontrunner. It’s much easier winning support when people are hoping you will get in the race, than retaining support when you are the frontrunner.”