Businessman Donald Trump has a 9-point lead over Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, according to a national poll on the 2016 GOP field released Friday.
Mr. Trump was at 31 percent among Republican and Republican-leaning voters in the Quinnipiac University poll, followed by Mr. Cruz at 22 percent and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida at 19 percent.
Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson was at 6 percent; former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich were at 3 percent apiece; and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina was at 2 percent.
A Quinnipiac survey released in December had Mr. Trump at 28 percent, Mr. Cruz at 24 percent, Mr. Rubio at 12 percent and Mr. Carson at 10 percent.
The poll released Friday was conducted after the Iowa caucuses on Monday. Mr. Cruz finished first, Mr. Trump was in second, and Mr. Rubio placed third.
All three candidates posted solid favorability numbers among GOP voters. Mr. Rubio had a 69 percent/8 percent favorable/unfavorable split, Mr. Cruz had a 68 percent/19 percent split, and Mr. Trump had a 60 percent/34 percent split.
Among voters in general, though, Mr. Rubio had a 42 percent/28 percent favorable/unfavorable split, while Mr. Cruz had a negative 36 percent/42 percent split, and Mr. Trump had a negative 34 percent/59 percent split.
Mr. Rubio also performed the best against the Democratic candidates, leading former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by 7 points and tying Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont.
Mr. Cruz tied Mrs. Clinton and trailed Mr. Sanders by 4 points, and Mr. Trump trailed Mrs. Clinton by 5 points and Mr. Sanders by 10 points.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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