Third Iowa poll shows Bachmann in the lead

You know what they say: "Three's a trend."

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann on Thursday led the 2012 GOP field in the latest poll out of Iowa--making the third such survey this week that has Bachmann on top.

The Mason-Dixon Polling Research survey, conducted July 5-7 for the Every Child Matters Education Fund, found that 32 percent of registered Republicans in Iowa prefer Bachmann for the 2012 GOP nomination. Bachmann was closely followed in the survey by former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who received 29 percent support. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty placed a distant third with 7 percent.

Two other surveys out this week showed similar results. An Iowa Republican survey of likely GOP caucus-goers released Sunday showed Bachmann leading the GOP field in Iowa with 25 percent support. Romney received 21 percent in that poll. And a poll released Tuesday by the American Research Group found Bachmann the favored candidate among likely GOP caucus-goers in Iowa with 21 percent. Romney placed a close second with 19 percent.

Bachmann, who burst into the 2012 race with a crowd-pleasing performance at the June 13 CNN debate, late last month rolled out her 2012 campaign in her birthplace of Waterloo, Iowa.

Iowa remains a key state in the 2012 primary process as home to the first-in-the-nation caucus. Though some candidates this cycle have chosen to focus their attention elsewhere, a win in Iowa still offers candidates potentially significant momentum heading into the remainder of the primary cycle.