Pawlenty, Bachmann hit double digits (barely) in latest Iowa presidential poll

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is the top pick among Republicans to win the 2012 Iowa caucuses, garnering support from 21 percent of respondents, according to a new poll by Public Policy Polling. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and businessman Herman Cain tied for second with support from 15 percent of those surveyed.

The two Minnesotans in the field — Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Gov. Tim Pawlenty — finished fifth and sixth respectively. Bachmann was the top pick of 11 percent of respondents, while Pawlenty drew support from 10 percent of participants.

Bachmann had the most lopsided favorable/unfavorable spread among the potential GOP presidential contenders. Of those surveyed, 53 percent indicated that they held a favorable opinion of the three-term legislator, while just 16 percent viewed her unfavorably. For Pawlenty — who has made more than a dozen trips to Iowa over the last two years — the spread was 48 percent favorable, compared to 18 percent unfavorable.

The PPP poll surveyed 481 usual Republican primary voters. The margin of error for the survey is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.