MANCHESTER, New Hampshire — At least two separate GOP presidential campaigns’ internal polling data shows a demonstrable and significant slide for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) after his widely panned debate performance—where New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie targeted him—Breitbart News has learned.
A pro-Ohio Gov. John Kasich Super PAC published, via Politico, internal polling numbers showing a drop off for Rubio after Christie exposed him during the debate.
In that poll, Rubio fell down to 10 percent and into fourth place. “Most of the polling conducted in the immediate days before the debate showed Rubio in second place,” Politico’s Alex Isenstadt wrote late Sunday.
“The survey, which was based on phone calls to 500 likely voters (margin of error plus or minus 3 percent), was conducted Sunday, the day following the latest Republican debate,” Isenstadt added.
Rubio came under scathing attack from Chris Christie, who cast the first term Florida senator as too unready, ambitious, and superficial to occupy the Oval Office. Donald Trump holds a wide lead in the survey, receiving 35 percent. He more than doubles runner-up Kasich, who has 15 percent. In third is Jeb Bush, with 13 percent. Behind Rubio in fifth and sixth place, respectively, are Christie and Ted Cruz. Both receive 8 percent.
Another rival GOP presidential campaign told Breitbart News of its internal polling data late Sunday as well, which it argues confirms a Rubio slide.
That campaign—which wished to remain anonymous—said its numbers show billionaire Donald Trump still way out in front at 30 percent, Kasich in second at 14 percent, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in third with 13 percent and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in fourth with 12 percent. This poll was conducted Sunday—since it’s a one-day poll, it has a large margin of error—and it showed Rubio has dropped to fifth place with just 9 percent while Christie is in sixth with 6 percent.
Polling has been wrong many times before—including in the lead-up to the Iowa caucuses—and it’s unclear if these polls will prove to hold up on Tuesday. But one thing is clear: There’s no doubt Rubio has taken a significant hit after Christie crushed him in the Saturday evening ABC News debate. For his part, Rubio did have large crowds throughout the day Sunday.
Rubio and his team appear to be worried in the final equation here as his campaign just packed his Monday schedule with several more public events in the final day of campaigning before voters head to the polls. Rubio will hold a staggering seven public events on Monday, well more than any other candidate, in the final day before the election.
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