Donald Trump is crushing his rivals - and he's only getting stronger
The poll, from CNN/ORC, finds Trump grabbing 32% of the vote from likely Republican primary voters nationally. Trump is trailed by retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who gets 19% of the vote. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) comes in at 9%.
Trump has nearly tripled his support since the launch of his presidential campaign in June. At 32%, he's up 8 points from last month's poll.
The survey also pointed to signs of Trump's increasing staying power in the race.
A plurality of Republican voters now think he is the most likely candidate to win the nomination. Forty-one percent of GOP voters believe Trump is most likely to win the nomination, up from just 18% in July. Meanwhile, 22% think Bush is most likely to earn the nomination, a drop from 39% two months ago.
Trump also inspires intense enthusiasm with his candidacy, which could suggest his supporters will turn out to vote on Election Day. Four in 10 GOP voters say they'd be "excited" if he were the nominee, second only to Carson. No other candidate is above 21%.
And as Trump's overall backing has climbed, he has broadened his support base among Republican voters. According to the CNN poll, he has seen the most significant increases over the last month among women (13 points), college graduates (12 points), and Tea Party voters (14 points).
Here's a look at how each subgroup supports Trump:
- Men: 31%
- Women: 33%
- White: 33%
- People with incomes under $50,000: 31%
- People with incomes above $50,000: 32%
- Those who attended college: 33%
- Tea Party-aligned voters: 41%
- Independents who lean Republican: 37%
The CNN poll continues Trump's rise both nationally and in key early states like Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. Up by an average of almost 14 points on Carson nationally, Trump will again be front and center at next week's Republican primary debate.