Heading into Christmas Weekend, New Poll Shows Virtual Three-Way Tie in Iowa GOP Presidential Race

As we head into Christmas weekend, just 11 days before the Iowa Caucuses, a new American Research Group Poll finds a virtual three-way tie for the lead in the GOP Presidential race in the Hawkeye State.

Ron Paul leads with 21%, followed by Mitt Romney at 20% and Newt Gingrich at 19%. No one else makes double-digits in the poll. Rick Perry has 9% and Michele Bachmann is at 8%, a real disappointment considering she is running as a favorite daughter of Iowa, having been born there. This poll finds Jon Huntsman moving up to 6%, by far his best showing in any poll in Iowa, a state he has written off. Another shocker is Rick Santorum at only 4%. Some recent polls seemed to be showing a surge of support for Santorum, but this poll does not.

In our 7-day average of polls in Iowa, Ron Paul now holds a slim 1.2 point lead over Mitt Romney, with Newt Gingrich 5.6 points behind at 15.8%.