Herman Cain is now the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, according to a new poll commissioned by NBC and the Wall Street Journal. The results are:

1. Herman Cain: 27%
2. Mitt Romney: 23%
3. Rick Perry: 16%
4. Ron Paul: 11%
5. Newt Gingrich: 8%
6. Michele Bachmann: 5%
7. Jon Huntsman: 3%

Why the significant surge for Cain, who got just 5% in August? Republican voters like what they see. According to this poll, 52% of primary voters have a favorable opinion of Cain. Just 6% view him unfavorably. He does even better amongst specific demographics like Tea Partiers and those describing themselves as “very” conservative.

(Side note for the narrative-pushing media: If the more conservative you are the more racist you are, why are strong conservatives backing the black guy?)

Those polled were asked why they backed Cain. Common answers included the fact he’s not a politician and the fact he speaks plainly and clearly. Voters also perceive him as being down-to-earth and speaking from the heart. That has clearly helped propel him to first place in the race.

Here’s the problem: Cain is currently trailing Obama by 11 points. Not an impossibility to overcome by next November, of course, especially with the economy stagnant and Obama failing to do anything effective about it. But it’s still a concern. Although it should be noted that Romney also trails Obama by two points in this poll, whereas other recent polls have him leading the incumbent.