A newly released Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that Ron Paul is the most trusted Republican candidate amongst likely voters and has firmly cemented his position as a top tier candidate.

The poll was conducted by telephone from November 30 to December 4. It has Paul tied in second place with Mitt Romney amongst likely Republican voters with 18 per cent. Newt Gingrich leads with 33 per cent, a figure likely to dwindle rapidly as his true political background is revealed.

Amongst likely voters, Ron Paul is seen as most honest candidate, beating Gingrich and Romney by 10 and 11 more percentage points respectively. The Texan Congressman is also more trusted than Romney amongst likely voters to handle immigration, the economy and social issues.

Paul’s sterling performance in the poll arrives on the back of his strong second placed finish in a significant survey commissioned by the Des Moines Register newspaper. The poll of likely Iowa GOP caucusgoers also found that Paul is the “most principled” candidate.

The notion that Ron Paul is now a top tier candidate with a serious shot at challenging for the Republican nomination is even being accepted by establishment media talking heads who have done their best to ignore Paul’s campaign at every turn.Ron Paul has garnered 19 GOP Presidential Straw Poll wins -- more than ANY other GOP candidate -- and ALMOST FIVE TIMES AS MANY as establishment favorite, Mitt Romney. Flavor of the Month, Newt Gingrich, has won ONE straw poll. Ron Paul’s straw poll victories constitute 48.7% of the 39 GOP Straw Polls thus far.

2011 GOP Straw Poll Wins for Ron Paul:

1st - February 12, 2011, Washington, D.C. – CPAC Straw Poll
1st - February 27, 2011 Phoenix, AZ - Tea Party Patriots Virtual Summit Straw Poll
1st - March 20, 2011, Sacramento, California – Republican Liberty Caucus of California Presidential Straw Poll
1st - June 16–18, 2011, New Orleans, Louisiana – Republican Leadership Conference Straw Poll
1st - June 19, 2011, Clay County, Iowa Republican Party Straw Poll
1st - August 20, 2011 New Hampshire Young Republicans Straw Poll
1st - September 12, 2011 Cincinnati Tea Party Straw Poll
1st - September 17, 2011 California GOP Straw Poll
1st - October 7–9, 2011, Washington, D.C. – Values Voter Straw Poll
1st - October 13, 2011, Los Angeles County, California - RPLAC Straw Poll
1st - October 18, 2011, Charleston, South Carolina - Charleston County Republican Party
1st - October 22, 2011, Columbus, Ohio - Ohio GOP Swing State Straw Poll
1st - October 29, 2011, Des Moines, Iowa - National Federation of Republican Assemblies Presidential Straw Poll Tally 1
1st - October 29, 2011, Des Moines, Iowa - National Federation of Republican Assemblies Presidential Straw Poll Tally 2
1st - November 5, 2011, Illinois - Illinois Straw Poll
1st - November 14, 2011, North Charleston, South Carolina - Charleston County Republican Party Straw Poll
1st - November 14, 2011, San Diego, California - San Diego GOP Straw poll
1st - November 15, 2011, Springfield, Missouri - Missouri Tea Party Straw poll
1st - November 19, 2011, North Carolina- NC Registered Republicans Straw Poll

Ron Paul's 2nd Place GOP Straw Poll results:

2nd - January 22, 2011, Derry, New Hampshire – New Hampshire Straw Poll
2nd - (Statistical Tie for 1st) - August 13, 2011 Iowa Straw Poll, Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.
2nd - (Statistical Tie for 1st) - August 27, 2011 Georgia State GOP Straw Poll
2nd - October 29, 2011, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; West Alabama Straw Poll
2nd - November 19, 2011, Rockford, Illinois - Memorial Hall Straw Poll

* I take no credit for these articles, they were pulled straight off of the news. I am merely sharing the information.