Jeb Bush trails Bobby Jindal in Iowa: poll

In a newly released poll in Iowa, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is besting former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush among GOP presidential contenders.

Mr. Jindal, who is seeing his numbers rise among evangelicals, is tied for fifth place with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee at 6 percent, while Mr. Bush was tied for sixth place with businesswoman Carly Fiorina at 5 percent, according to a poll released Monday by Public Policy Polling.

Real estate mogul Donald Trump topped the poll with 22 percent of the vote, followed closely by former neurosurgeon Ben Carson at 21 percent, within the error of margin. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz came in third, while Florida Sen. Marco Rubio followed.

“Jeb Bush is having a rough time in Iowa,” the poll reads. “Only 30 percent of GOP voters see him favorably to 43 percent with a negative opinion, giving him the highest unfavorable rating of any of the candidates in Iowa.”

Among those who describe themselves as ’very conservative,’ just 25 percent see Mr. Bush favorably to 53 percent who have a negative view. In a head-to-head matchup with Mr. Trump, Mr. Bush loses 55 percent to 37 percent.

Two days ago, Mr. Bush pledged to a crowd in Iowa that he would be a better candidate and that his performance in last week’s debate wasn’t as strong as it could have been. On Monday, Mr. Bush launched a “Jeb Can Fix It” tour aimed at retooling his lackluster campaign.

“I know I have to get better,” Mr. Bush said at Iowa GOP’s Growth and Opportunity Party on Saturday. “I don’t have this gigantic ego that says, ’Well they’re just stupid. Iowa voters don’t understand me.’ But also, I’m a really competitive guy.”

A leaked internal Bush memo demonstrates how poorly he’s doing in the Hawkeye State.

Mr. Bush hopes to achieve about 18 percent in the Iowa caucus, which their projections show requires a vote goal of 23,716, according to the memo, which was leaked to U.S. News and World Report. So far they’ve only identified mere 1,281 of that goal, or 5.4 percent of what they wanted to achieve. Mr. Bush has only recruited 129 precinct leaders and or captains at this point and there’s 1,682 precincts in Iowa.

Some speculate the memo was leaked intentionally so it could be shared with Mr. Bush’s super PAC, Right to Rise, so they could help Mr. Bush get out the vote in Iowa.

The group has so far booked advertisements in the state and is considering placing organizing staff in Iowa and New Hampshire, a move that would follow the decision of his formal campaign to refocus its efforts on the two early-voting states.

Nationally, Mr. Bush ranks in fifth place in a Real Clear Politics poll average with 6.6 percent, while Mr. Jindal is in 12th place with less than 1 percent of the vote.

On the Democratic side, front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton continues to dominate with 57 percent of the vote compared to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 25 percent. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley takes in 7 percent.

Mrs. Clinton is seeing her numbers rise with women voters in the state, but is running tight with Mr. Sanders among younger constituents, men and those who identify themselves as “very liberal.”