GOP Poll: Tea Party Favorite Steve King Leads Over Tom Latham, Brad Zaun for Harkin's U.S. Senate Seat

Congressman Steve King, R-Kiron, is leading among Republicans who may seek Tom Harkin's U.S. Senate seat, according to a Jan. 29 Iowa Statewide Poll by Harper Polling.

When Republicans were asked who they would vote for in a GOP primary for U.S. Senate, Tea Party favorite King received the most support no matter who was thrown in the mix -- including Urbandale State Sen. Brad Zaun. King currently represents Ames as the 4th District Congressman.

When asked who they would pick out of U.S. Rep. Tom Latham, King, Zaun or Bob Vander Plaats of The Family Leader, more than 35 percent of Republicans said they would vote for King. Latham came in second with 21.7 percent. Zaun received 6 percent of the support; Vander Plaats notched 16 percent support.

And when Drew Ivers, a co-chair of Ron Paul's campaign, was added to the list King received 31.2 percent and Latham received 26 percent.

When those Republicans were asked who they would choose in a vote between Latham and King, King received 46 percent and 29 percent of Republicans said they would vote for Latham. The rest were unsure.

Harpers surveyed 523 Iowans on behalf of Conservative Intel on Jan. 29. Of those surveyed 38 percent said they were Republicans. When Democrats were asked who they would choose as their nominee, U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley received the most support with 49.7 percent of respondents picking him. The poll's margin of error was 4.28 percent.

The results should be no surprise to most Republicans.

Politico reported in a story, “Can Steve King win Iowa Senate Seat?,” that even Republicans who worry that King would lose in the general election “acknowledge” that he would be the frontrunner for the GOP nomination.

King told Politico that he was thinking about running before Harkin, a Democrat, announced that he would not run in 2014 and said it will take some time to gauge support and make a final determination.

Latham is also expected to throw his hat in the ring, but Vander Plaats, who has run unsuccessfully for governor in the past before focusing his efforts on ousting Iowa Supreme Court justices who voted for gay marriage, said he isn't considering it at this time.