Ted Cruz has more than tripled his support in Iowa and leads the Republican field by 10 points in a new poll released Saturday.
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Trump has become increasingly willing to jab at Cruz amid his surge in polls, where he is challenging Trump’s status as the front-runner in the influential first-caucus state of Iowa.
Meanwhile, Ben Carson took a heavy hit in the polling, dropping from 29 percent in mid-October to 13 percent, amid questions among Republicans over his grasp on foreign policy.
“Rounding out the GOP field are Jeb Bush (at 7%) and Carly Fiorina (at 5%)”.
According to the New York Times, the arch-conservative Mr Cruz could emerge as the preferred nominee of far-right Republicans, competing against Mr Trump – cast as an anti-establishment candidate – and against a possible third candidate representing the centre-right of the party.
When voters are asked about certain characteristics, Trump still polls ahead of Cruz with 49 percent of people saying the businessman “knows the most about how to get things done”, compared with 22 percent for Cruz. Soon after the latest Iowa Poll was released, Hagle said one concern for Cruz may be taking this large of a lead with plenty of time left in the game.
Speaking in Iowa, Trump launched his first attack on Cruz by zeroing in on the senator’s opposition to ethanol standards, an issue dear to Iowan hearts.
Trump, who leads national polls of likely Republican voters, has shown only a marginal improvement, rising from 19% to 21%.
For months, Cruz has carefully avoided criticizing Trump in hopes of not alienating his supporters if he drops out of the presidential race.
Given his standing 50 days before the caucuses, that’s a harder argument to make.
“I’m more capable. Because I have a much better temperament”.
Bryan English, Cruz’s Iowa state director, cautioned “this is just one poll”, but said the results are a testament to the resources the campaign has invested in Iowa as well as Cruz’s message.
In 2008, Mike Huckabee – who would go on to capture the caucuses that year – zoomed 17 points between October and November.
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In contrast, Cruz’s support has almost trebled from 10% in October.
