James Cleverly has overtaken rival Robert Jenrick for the first time in a new leadership survey by grassroots Tories.
The former Home Secretary has leapfrogged his ex Immigration Minister in popularity with party members, the Conservative Home website found.
It comes after he was widely seen to have performed the best of the four contenders in the party conference ‘beauty parade’ last week.
A spokesman for his campaign said: ‘James’ message at party conference is resonating with members and the public. He will keep campaigning to get our party into shape to win the next election and deliver a positive and optimistic conservatism to the voters again.’
However Mr Cleverly, who has faced criticism for opening talks on the handover of the Chagos Islands when he was Foreign Secretary, remains behind Kemi Badenoch.
A spokesman for her campaign said: ‘The ConHome survey confirms Kemi is the members’ choice.
‘If Tory MPs want a leader who can cut-through in opposition and take the fight to Labour they must vote for Kemi this week – it’s what our members want.’
The ConHome survey of 784 party members was carried out on Thursday and Friday, after the gathering of the faithful in Birmingham ended.
Asked who should be the next leader, 32 per cent said Mrs Badenoch, putting her in the lead albeit down four points after a week dominated by her outspoken comments.
Next was Mr Cleverly on 25 per cent, up 12 points.
Mr Jenrick fell to third on 19 per cent, down 6 points after a conference speech widely regarded as flat.
However allies of his point out that the ConHome survey has not been weighted to be representative of the wider party membership.
Mr Jenrick has been the bookies’ favourite but Mr Cleverly drew level yesterday.
Former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat was last with ConHome on 12 per cent, down 1 point.
He is widely expected to be eliminated when Tory MPs narrow the field to three on Tuesday, before another round of voting that will decide the final two on Wednesday.
However he received a boost yesterday [sun] when a senior Conservative announced on air he would be backing him.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell told Sky News: ‘I will certainly be voting to keep Tom Tugendhat in.’
He told the BBC: ‘I don’t know who I would want out of the last two, partly because I don’t know who the last two are, but so far, I’ve been voting to keep people in.’