With one month to the Iowa Caucuses, the latest poll of likely participants from the Des Moines Register has Newt Gingrich atop the GOP field:
Newt Gingrich 25, Ron Paul 18, Mitt Romney 16, Undecided 11, Michele Bachmann 8, Herman Cain 8, Rick Santorum 6, Rick Perry 6, and Jon Huntsman 2.
Gingrich is up from 7 percent in late October, and the poll finds that his lead "has the potential to grow," the paper writes.
Fully 43 percent of likely caucus-goers pick as their first or second choice in the Jan. 3rd caucuses.
Romney's slide in the polls comes amid criticism from all sides of his record of flip-flopping. The former Massachusetts governor has made a show of not actively contending the caucuses, but recently he's been forced to devote more resources to the state.
Romney went up with his first television ad in the state this week, days after a top campaign aide said he's in the Hawkeye State to win it.
Ron Paul is the most organized candidate in the state, as reflected by his strong poll showing. Unlike Romney, he has momentum in the polls — suggesting that if Gingrich's lead collapses, he stands a strong chance of winning the caucuses.
The poll was conducted from Sunday to Wednesday, before Herman Cain suspended his presidential campaign.
Read more from The Business Insider:
Here's What Herman Cain's Exit Means for the Republican Race
The Only Pundits You Need to Pay Attention to Between Now and the Election
Five Interesting Things from This Weekend's Des Moines Register Poll