In the latest CNN poll Governor Perry maintains his lead over the rest of the Republican presidential contenders at 30%.

But the big take away from the new poll is that  Perry is now perceived as the most electable, with 42% saying he has the best chance of beating Obama next year. Only 26% say Romney has the best chance of defeating the president.

Perry – 30%
Romney – 18%
Palin – 15%
Paul – 12%
Cain – 5%
Gingrich – 5%
Bachmann – 4%
Huntsman – 2%
Santorum – 2%

Other interesting findings from the CNN poll include:

• Perry’s support comes mostly from Republicans who support the TEA Party movement.

• With Palin excluded, the results are basically the same: Perry 32 percent, Romney 21 percent, Paul 13 percent and all the other candidates in single digits.

• Perry is seen as the strongest leader in the field by 36%, with Romney second at 21 percent.

• Perry is seen as the Republican candidate most likely to get the economy moving again by 35%, with Romney in second at 26 percent.

• Nearly three in ten say that Perry is the candidate who is most likely to fight for his beliefs, with Palin in second place at 23 percent and Romney in a distant tie for fourth at just 11 percent.

The poll was conducted September 9-11 and has an overall sampling error of plus or minus 4.5 percent.

From Right Side Politics.