In the wake of a major sexual harassment scandal, former front-runner Herman Cain has dropped down from the top of the polls for the Republican presidential candidates. Two recent national surveys show that Mitt Romney, a previous leader in the race, and a new face, Newt Gingrich, have soared past Cain and to the highest spots.  These polls were asked to Republicans and Independents who tend to lean towards the GOP.

PPP, or Public Policy Polling, released the results of a survey in which former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich won with 28% of the vote, 13% up from the previous month. Cain dropped down to 25%, with Romney now to 18%, and Rick Perry dropping to 14%. The rest of the candidates are staggered at the bottom, with Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul at 5%, John Huntsman at a 3%, and Rick Santorum at a 1% along with virtually unknown candidate Gary Johnson.

A poll by CNN shows a slightly different outcome, with Romney at the top of a pack at 24%. Newt Gingrich, though, received 22% of support, trailing very close behind. 14% went to Cain, eleven points lower than an October survey. Perry’s spot at 12% is a small drop from his 13% standing in a poll by CNN last month. Paul, Bachmann, Huntsman, and Santorum stood at 8%, 6%, and 3% respectively. In this voting, 8% of those questioned were unsure in their choices.

Could Newt Gingrich really be a threat in this presidential race? Or will he share the fate of other candidates, such as Bachmann and Perry, who went from the top to severely dropping in the polls? Only time will tell.