New poll finds top tier emerging in GOP race

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain and Texas Gov. Rick Perry have separated themselves from the rest of the Republican field, according to a new poll from The Washington Post and Bloomberg on the eve of the news organizations’ GOP debate.

Romney leads the GOP field among Republican voters, earning 24 percent of the vote, with Cain following closely, having earned the support of 16 percent of Republicans surveyed. Rick Perry rounds out the top three with 13 percent of voters; no other candidate cracks double digits. 

{mosads}Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman notably earned the endorsement of zero percent of the Republican voters polled.

Romney, Cain and Perry were also the only candidates to rank in double digits when voters were asked who would do the most to improve the economy. Romney was the choice of 22 percent of Republicans, while Cain earned 20 percent and Perry 12 percent.

The poll echoes other national polls released last week that found Cain tied for first or second place and Perry falling dramatically.

Economic bona fides might be part of the reason one-time leader Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.) has fallen out of favor. She was named by 14 percent of Republicans surveyed when asked to choose which candidate would do the most harm to the economy if elected. 

Rep. Ron Paul (Texas) was tabbed by 11 percent of GOP voters as most dangerous to the economy, with no other candidate earning above 10 percent.

Economic messaging could be a concern for all of the Republican candidates, though, with respondents unconvinced that a GOP president would necessarily improve economic conditions. 

Only 23 percent of those surveyed said the economy would be better with a Republican president instead of President Obama, while 25 percent said it would be worse and 45 percent saying economic conditions would be the same. Attacking the president’s economic performance has been central to nearly all of the candidate’s campaigns.

Voters also don’t seem convinced that their favored candidate could do much to improve their individual family’s financial condition. An equal number of those surveyed — 24 percent — said that their family’s situation would be better if Obama won a second term or if a Republican won the White House. Forty-four percent said that no matter who the president was, it would not make a difference.