Poll: Donald Trump Holds Lead over Crowded GOP Primary Field

Former President Donald Trump leads a potentially crowded Republican primary field by six points, according to a national poll.

The Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday shows that a 42 percent plurality of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters back Trump in a field that featured many candidates. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) remains Trump’s closest potential competitor, receiving 36 percent of the response, followed by former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC), who launched her candidacy for president on Wednesday, at five percent.

Four percent of the 592 Republicans and leaners included in the sample support former Vice President Mike Pence, and another four percent back former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) both garner two percent of support, while one percent would vote for Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who is reportedly “taking steps to run for president.”

In a field of just Trump, DeSantis, Haley, and Pence, the 45th president registers at 43 percent of support while DeSantis climbs to 41 percent. Haley takes six percent of the share, four percent back Pence, and five percent remain undecided.

Quinnipiac University also gauged potential head-to-head matchups between the two leading GOP candidates and President Joe Biden among 1,580 U.S. adult voters, including 1,429 registered voters. Biden, who is reportedly eyeing an April campaign announcement despite Democrat worries, holds a razor-thin two-point lead over Trump at 48 percent to 46 percent, while DeSantis has a one percentage point lead over Biden at 47 percent to 46 percent. Both matchups fall within the margin of error.

Biden’s job approval rating is 14 points underwater, as just 40 percent approve of his performance, and 54 percent disapprove, according to the poll.

Quinnipiac’s survey follows a Neighborhood Research and Media poll released by Rick Shaftan on Wednesday, showing Trump leading a deep primary field in South Carolina, the second GOP primary state after New Hampshire.

Quinnipiac conducted its poll from February 9-14. The survey for the general election match-ups has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points, while the GOP primary samples have a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.