Donald Trump is doing shockingly well in a key primary state

Real estate mogul and presidential candidate Donald Trump scored second place in a New Hampshire poll released Tuesday.

Trump, the star of NBC's "Apprentice," got 12% in the Suffolk University survey, trailing only former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's (R) 14% in the crucial early primary state.

"Jeb Bush continues to lead, but Donald Trump has emerged as an anti-Jeb Bush alternative in New Hampshire," said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center.

Trump's relatively strong performance in the poll quickly drew notice from political journalists when it was released. Surveys taken before Trump's June 16 campaign announcement indicated Trump was one of the most disliked Republicans in the race.

However, Paleologos that Trump's detractors are divided among many candidates in the increasingly crowded field of GOP candidates.

"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," Paleologos said in his statement. "It's the politics of plurality."