Ben Carson and Donald Trump are now tied for first at 23% according to the Monmouth University Poll of likely Iowa Republican caucus goers. Carly Fiorina comes in second with 10% and Ted Cruz is in third place with 9%.
Lagging behind in 4th, 5th and 6th place, respectively, are Scott Walker (7%), Jeb Bush (5%), and John Kasich (4%)
Bringing up the rear are Marco Rubio (4%), Rand Paul (3%), Mike Huckabee (2%), and Rick Santorum (2%).
None of the other six candidates included in the poll registered more than 1%.
The Monmouth University Poll of likely Iowa Republican caucus goers finds Ben Carson and Donald Trump tied for the top spot. This marks the first time since July 26 that a poll in any of the first four nominating states has not shown Trump with a nominal lead. Not surprisingly, given the top two contenders in the poll, most Iowa Republicans prefer someone without a traditional political pedigree.
At this early stage, though, the vast majority of voters say their eventual support could go to one of several other candidates in spite of their current preference.
***
“These results mark a significant shake-up in the leaderboard from Monmouth’s Iowa poll taken before the first debate,” said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute in West Long Branch, NJ. “Carson and, to a lesser extent, Fiorina have surged, while Walker has faded into the background.”
2015 will go down in history as the year of the political outsider, with voters rejecting the establishment candidates on both sides of the aisle. Whether or not this trend will continue into 2016 remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, Carly Fiorina is fighting to make it to the main stage for the Sept. 16 debate hosted by CNN at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA.
In national polls and surveys of voters in Iowa and New Hampshire since the Aug. 6 debate, Fiorina regularly places in the top third among the 17 GOP candidates. In some surveys, Fiorina bests former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, all of whom appeared in the prime-time debate.
Unfortunately, CNN will use averaging of polls going back to July 16 — weeks before Fiorina’s successful Fox News debate, which helped her improve her standing.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member