Trump Emerges As "Anti-Jeb Bush" In New Hampshire
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TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) - In a splintered presidential field, former Gov. Jeb Bush holds a slight lead over businessman Donald Trump in New Hampshire.
That's according to a Suffolk University poll of Republican primary voters released Tuesday.
Bush was favored by 14 percent of the 500 likely primary voters surveyed, with 11 percent preferring Trump, even though only 37 percent of those surveyed viewed Trump favorably compared to 49 percent who had an unfavorable opinion of him.
The poll was conducted from Thursday to Monday and had a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.
Trump topped the field among respondents who self-identified as conservatives. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was the choice of 8 percent and Sen. Marco Rubio was at 7 percent, with others in the GOP field receiving lower percentages.
"Jeb Bush continues to lead, but Donald Trump has emerged as an anti-Jeb Bush alternative in New Hampshire," David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston, said in a statement. "Many of those who like Trump are voting for him, and although many more dislike him, the unfavorables are split up among many other candidates. It's the politics of plurality."
Paleologos said Trump was benefiting from the large field, which he said would decrease in August when televised debates begin.
"The question is, who among the growing list of candidates will be selected to participate," the pollster said.
With its February 9th early primary, New Hampshire will be one of the most closely watched states next year in the battle for the Republican presidential nomination.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.