Presidential candidate and businessman Herman Cain is continuing to surge in the polls.

A new Wall Street Journal/NBC survey shows Cain leading the field of GOP candidates with 27 percent of Republican voters naming him as their first pick.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is close behind at 23 percent. Texas Gov. Rick Perry dropped to 16 percent, down from 38 percent in August.

Although Cain is not a familiar face in New Hampshire, he got a roaring reception Wednesday from New Hampshire lawmakers.

Click play to watch the update CBN News report from producer Tyler James.

During a stop at a local restaurant, the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza took on Romney, who's favored to win there.

"We're both businessmen, and I respect the years that he spent on Wall Street," Cain said. "He's a Wall Street executive. I'm a Main Street executive. I've run places like this."

The new survey found Cain trails Obama 49 percent to 38 percent in a head-to-head match-up.