Ted Cruz in Virtual Tie With Donald Trump in New National Poll
— -- Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are about neck and neck atop the GOP presidential field, according to a new NBC/WSJ national poll.
It marks the first national poll without Trump leading since late December and the first time he is not numerically ahead since Nov. 9. It’s also Trump’s lowest support in a national poll since late November. This poll was taken entirely after Saturday's debate, where Donald Trump took repeated swings at former President George W. Bush.
Marco Rubio took 17 percent support, John Kasich with 11 percent, Ben Carson with 10 percent and Jeb Bush with 4 percent.
This is Kasich’s highest showing in any national poll this election cycle. Trump dropped 7 percentage points since mid-January, while Ted Cruz and John Kasich both climbed 8 percentage points.
The poll comes the same day as a Quinnipiac University national poll, where Trump leads with more than 20 percentage points. Trump also leads by double digits in recent polling in South Carolina, the next state to vote.
