WASHINGTON — For the first time since July, a poll finds a new nationwide leader among candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, as retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson tops businessman Donald Trump in a CBS News/New York Times poll released Tuesday.
Carson has the support of 26 percent of Republican primary voters nationwide, compared with 22 percent for Trump. That’s a fourfold increase in support for Carson since a similar poll in August and 5 percent above a poll conducted about two weeks ago.
Hanging on to third place, where he placed in the poll earlier this month, is Sen. Marco Rubio, of Florida, with 8 percent. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and businesswoman Carly Fiorina are tied with 7 percent. All other candidates are at 4 percent or lower.
Carson’s bump in support comes from key Republican groups. Compared with the poll released Oct. 11:
- Carson has taken over the lead from Trump among women voters, 27 percent to 19, after having trailed Trump by three points;
- Carson leads among voters who call themselves very conservative, 28 percent to 18, after having trailed Trump by four;
- He leads among those who call themselves somewhat conservative, 35 percent to 27, after having trailed Trump by three.
Carson also has taken the lead over Trump among voters who identify as part of the Tea Party faction of Republicans and those who don’t, as well as voters under and over age 65. He trailed Trump in all these categories on Oct. 11.
That said, the top-line national numbers are still within the margin of error of 6 percent, CBS News reports: Tuesday’s GOP primary poll was conducted among 575 Republican primary voters on Oct. 15.
There’s also room for movement, CBS News says: More than half of Trump’s supporters say their minds are made up, while 79 percent of those who support Carson say that they could change their minds.
