Perry passes Bachmann, GOP field in Iowa poll

Less than a week after he entered the fray, Texas Gov. Rick Perry finds himself at the top of the field of candidates seeking the Republican nomination in 2012, quickly leaping over Ames straw poll winner Michele Bachmann and putative frontrunner Mitt Romney.

A survey of Iowa Republicans from ‘We Ask America’ shows Perry’s support at 29 percent, by far the highest support among the field. Next in line was Bachmann’s 17 percent, followed by Romney’s 15 percent. The rest of the field found themselves in single digits.

The results are the latest in a trend this week (in New Hampshire and nationally) showing Perry’s entrance into the GOP race as a potential threat to the Bachmann candidacy, not to mention the rest of the field.

In a twist to normal polling, the survey also asked respondents who they didn’t want to see win the nomination. Sarah Palin led in that question with 25 percent. She was followed by Newt Gingrich at 16 percent and Jon Huntsman at 14 percent. Tied next in line at 12 percent? Bachmann and Texas Rep. Ron Paul.

By this measure, Perry tied for the lowest least-favorable rating at 3 percent with Rick Santorum. Romney, meanwhile, saw 7 percent say they didn’t want him to receive the nomination the most.