Even with the prominence of candidates like Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney has always been the favorite for the nomination, Jamelle Bouie writes in a blog entry at the American Prospect.

At this point in the game, with less than week before the caucuses, you can safely turn to polls of Iowa Republicans for an accurate gauge of where each candidate stands. According to the latest survey from the American Research Group, Mitt Romney has jumped to the front of the pack with 22 percent support, as Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich fall to 16 percent and 17 percent, respectively. When placed in context with other polls from other firms, Romney is clearly on the upswing. Here’s Talking Points Memo with its average...

Read Jamelle Bouie's entire blog entry at the American Prospect.

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