Headlining the Des Moines Register newspaper on Sunday - their new poll finding Mitt Romney leading the field of Republican candidates for president before Iowa caucus-goers make their picks on Tuesday.<br/> The closely watched poll shows Romney with 24 percent support, a narrow lead over his rival Ron Paul's 22 percent. In third, a surging Rick Santorum beat out Newt Gingrich, who slipped to fourth. Rick Perry was fifth. Michele Bachmann, sixth.<br/> (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MITT ROMNEY SAYING:<br/> "Some have me down by five, some have me up, who knows?"<br/> The results are a huge boost for the former Massachusetts Governor Romney - who resumes the front-runner role entering the final stretch in the first of the state-by-state battles for the Republican nomination to face President Barack Obama in the general election.<br/> The poll was more bad news for Gingrich, the former House Speaker, who had led the race until an onslaught of attack ads.<br/> Steve Clemons of the New America Foundation says it's make or break time.<br/> (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEVE CLEMONS OF THE NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION SAYING:<br/> "Iowa is a momentum place, It either starts or stops races."<br/> Edging out Gingrich, the socially conservative former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum has momentum. He's hoping to sway Iowa's evangelical Christian voters to score an upset on Tuesday.<br/> Texas Congressman and Libertarian favorite Ron Paul, who spent the New Year's holiday in Texas, returns to Iowa on the eve of the caucus.<br/> A victory for Romney in Iowa followed by another win in New Hampshire on January 10 could pave the way for an early clinch on the nomination.<br/> Katharine Jackson, Reuters.
