It isn't so much that Ron Paul is rising as that Gingrich is falling, but a new ABC News/Washington Post poll out today has Ron Paul solidly tied for second with Gingrich at 16 percent, among Republican-leaning registered voters. (Paul's Real Clear Politics average over past 12 days nationally is just 13.4 percent.)

Paul only rose one percentage point since December 18 in that poll, but Gingrich dropped 14 percentage points. Santorum gained 9 and Romney 6 percentage points since that December 18 version of the poll.

Paul's next challenge: picking up votes from Santorum and Gingrich as they drop. I believe he ought to have the tax and spending and limited government bona fides to do it. A shame to that GOP vote, I guess, that Paul doesn't want to start some more wars, as we learned in South Carolina last night.

My forthcoming book Ron Paul's Revolution.

UPDATE: You might note the link to the poll above now has many of the questions and answers "held for release." You will have to take my word for now that when I made the post, that link lead to a more complete set of questions and answers that had the data I reported above. Why the Post changed the link for now I am not sure. The State also reported on those results.

UPDATE UPDATE: The link again leads to the more complete set of poll results, including the GOP presidential questions.