While Rep. Michele Bachmann has fallen to the mid-single digits and into the pack in most recent national polls, she's still in second place in a new Iowa poll.
But it's not Rick Perry who's ahead of Bachmann in the American Research Group poll released Wednesday — former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney leads the field.
Romney had 21 percent support, putting him six points ahead of Bachmann at 15 percent. The Texas governor was in third at 14 percent, followed by Texas Rep. Ron Paul at 12 percent.
This is the first time Romney is on top of the American Research Group's monthly polls, as Bachmann led in August and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was ahead in its first poll in April. Romney has said he's less focused on Iowa, the first-in-the-nation caucus state, than New Hampshire, the first primary state.
The poll was taken Sept. 22-27, which means it includes reaction from Perry's debate performance in Orlando on Sept. 22 that was panned.
Bachmann's presidential campaign has settled on an Iowa-centric strategy. Her campaign manager Keith Nahigian narrated a video Tuesday where he said the Minnesota Republican "has to win Iowa."
Read the full results of the poll here.
