(CNSNews.com) - If the presidential election were held today and either Rep. Ron Paul, Rep. Michele Bachmann, Gov. Rick Perry or former Gov. Mitt Romney was the Republican nominee, the Gallup poll would have the race to close to call because support for each of these candidates would be within the polling margin of error of the support for President Obama, according to a new Gallup poll.

From Aug-17-18, Gallup asked 879 registered voters: “Suppose the presidential election were held today. If Barack Obama were the Democratic Party’s candidate and __________ were the Republican Party’s candidate who would you vote for?” In the blank space shown here, Gallup rotated through the names of Paul, Bachmann, Perry and Romney.

The poll had a margin of error of +/-4 points...

The battle between supporters of creationism and evolution made its way onto the 2012 campaign trail Thursday as a young boy, prompted by his mother, asked Texas Gov. Rick Perry questions on the subject, leading Perry to suggest both are taught in Texas public schools.

"How old do I think the Earth is?" Perry said repeating the boy's question. "I have no idea - it's pretty old. It goes back a long way - I'm not sure anyone knows really completely know how old it is."

But Perry continued, saying the boy's mother was really trying to get a response about creationism and evolution. While Texas public schools don't officially teach creationism, some claim Perry has pushed a weakened evolution curriculum to open the door for creationism in schools...

President Obama's newest challenger in the 2012 race for the GOP nominee came out swinging this week.

Texas Governor Rick Perry seemed to criticize Obama for lack of military service and made what some considered threatening remarks about Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke.

But in an interview with CNN, Mr. Obama brushed off his potential opponent's remarks about the commander-in-chief serving in the military. Obama noted that Perry "just got in," and said that running for president is not like a campaign for governor or Congress, and that he'll "cut him some slack" because it's only been a couple days...

On Saturday night, Texas Gov. Rick Perry became the latest Republican hopeful seeking to secure the GOP nomination to take on pro-abortion President Barack Obama. Perry enters on the heels of polls showing him to be a top-tier contender for the nomination.

Perry told a gathering of conservative activists meeting at a conference sponsored by the Red State blog in South Carolina and he told them, “I full well believe I’m going to win.”

Perry started the speech with pointed criticism of President Obama, saying, “this President’s unbridled fixation on taking more money out of the wallets and pocketbooks of American families and employers and giving it to a central government"...

(CNSNews.com) – Tim Pawlenty withdrew Sunday from the 2012 Republican presidential campaign following a disappointing showing in the Iowa straw poll, and newcomer to the race Rick Perry moved quickly to seek the former Minnesota governor’s endorsement.

Pawlenty took third place in the Iowa Republican Party-hosted poll, obtaining 2,293 votes to winner, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann’s 4,823. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas took a close second, with 4,671 votes.

After Pawlenty announced his withdrawal on Sunday Bachmann – whose sparring with her fellow Minnesotan had been a strong feature of Thursday’s Iowa GOP debate – did not say whether she would seek his endorsement, telling NBC’s Meet the Press that she would call him “to wish him well”...

Texas Gov. Rick Perry tossed his cowboy hat into the ring Saturday, shaking up the GOP race as he puts his undefeated political record on the line in his first presidential rodeo.

"It is time to get America working again and that's why with the support of my family and unwavering belief in the goodness of America, I declare to you today as a candidate for the president of the United States," he said in a speech at a RedState Gathering of conservative activists in Charleston, South Carolina.

Before the speech, Perry told South Carolina voters on a conference call that he's ready for a showdown with President Obama...

AMES, Iowa — Texas Gov. Rick Perry will announce Saturday that he is running for the Republican presidential nomination in a move expected to fundamentally reshape the race and divert attention from other contenders, many of whom will be competing this weekend in the Iowa Straw Poll.

Now in his 11th year as Texas governor, Mr. Perry could fill the void some party activists see and could unify social and economic conservatives in the GOP.

“This is about electing a true conservative leader with a real record of job creation as our next president,” said Scott Rials, executive director of Make Us Great Again, one of the several pro-Perry political action committees that have formed to raise and spend money independently of his campaign...

As the Republican presidential candidates prepare for tonight’s third primary election debate, one candidate and one-yet-to-be-announced candidate lead among GOP voters considering a replacement for President Barack Obama.

A new poll conducted by ORC International for CNN finds Mitt Romney, who has been the frontrunner for months in the Republican presidential election and will participate in tonight’s debate, continuing his lead with the support of 17 percent of Republicans. Perry, the Texas governor who will not be in the debate, comes in second place with 15 percent of the GOP support.

The poll comes days before Perry is expected to announce on Saturday at a gathering of conservative political activists that he will soon file the paperwork necessary to officially seek the Republican presidential nomination...

DES MOINES, Iowa – Seven Republican presidential contenders will try to use Thursday's debate, sponsored by Fox News and the Washington Examiner, in the leadoff caucus state of Iowa to cast themselves as the strongest alternative to one rival: front-runner Mitt Romney.

A Fox News Poll released Wednesday showed that the former Massachusetts Gov. remains Republican primary voters’ preferred candidate.

But all risk being overshadowed by one Republican who won't be on the stage -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has signaled he's likely to join the field in the coming days and will visit the early nominating states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina this weekend...

According to Politico, Texas Governor Rick Perry will officially enter the race for president this Saturday.

Citing unnamed sources familiar with the plan, Politico reports that the governor will use a speech at the RedState conference in South Carolina to "remove any doubt about" his plans to run for the Republican nomination.

This is the first mainstream media report of its kind regarding Perry's 2012 intentions. The governor has long been rumored to be considering a run for the White House, since meeting and speaking to Republicans and party officials in California and New Hampshire...