Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota has stormed into second place among Republican primary voters in the race for the GOP presidential nomination, but former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney remains the front-runner, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

Republican presidential candidate, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R., Minn.) acknowledges the crowd at a rally in downtown Aiken, S.C. (AP Photo/The Augusta Chronicle, Rainier Ehrhardt)

The poll, taken between July 14 and July 17, found continuing turmoil in the Republican race to be the “anti-Romney.” Mr. Romney remained the first choice of 30% of GOP primary voters in July, the same number as June. But beneath him, the stability ends.

In April, Donald Trump was rising to challenge the front-runner. In June, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was second with 14% and businessman Herman Cain was just behind with 12%. Now, Ms. Bachmann has 16%, up from 3% in June, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry – still undecided about running, but widely expected to announce his candidacy soon – comes in third with 11%.

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, once seen as a formidable challenger for the nomination, has slid back to 2% in the poll, from 4% in June and 6% in April. Mr. Pawlenty now lags being former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum nationally as he bares down in Iowa, hoping to rescue his campaign with a strong showing in the Ames, Iowa, straw poll Aug. 13.