Gallup's new national poll also finds Rick Perry surging into the lead. This may not matter as much as state level polling in early primaries, but it is an indicator that a lot of national Republicans have absorbed Perry's entry and see him as both acceptable and a front-runner.
Meanwhile, look at the age breakdown here. Those crazy Republican kids just love Ron Paul:
In 40 years, the Millenial generation will have taken over the GOP, and they'll be nominating 116-year-old Ron Paul, who already looks like he's 116 years old and by that point will look like Yoda. I have no doubt that whatever wizard powers Paul possesses to attract thousands of fanatically loyal followers to his bizarre paleoconservative goldbug platform will also allow him to still be campaigning for president well into the three figures.