POLL: Donald Trump just 'vaulted' to the top of the GOP field
The Suffolk University/USA Today survey showed Trump getting 17% of the Republican vote, placing him ahead of Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's (R) 14%.
David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University political research center, attributed Trump's rise to the ongoing controversy over his harsh rhetoric against illegal immigration.
"Trump is making daily headlines in advance of the primary season," Paleologos said. "This has vaulted him to the top of the pack on the backs of conservative voters."
The pollster added a note of caution, however, adding that the wider electorate isn't as fond of the real-estate developer's campaign.
"But when you expand the electoral pool to include Democrats and independents that potency dissipates," Paleologos said.
Several other recent polls have also found Trump and Bush as the top two candidates for GOP voters.
A Monmouth University poll published Monday had Bush at 15%, followed by Trump at 13%. In a Reuters-Ipsos poll released over the weekend, Bush led Trump by a negligible 16.1% to 15.8%. And in a Economist/YouGov poll published last Thursday, Trump had 15% while Bush had 11%.