Donald Trump is edging out Ted Cruz in Iowa and the “birther” issue could further boost his chances.
According to the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling, Trump leads the Republican presidential field in the first caucus state with 28 percent of the vote with Cruz just behind at 26 percent. Trump’s lead is within the margin of error. Trump is also first in the Washington Examiner‘s presidential power rankings.
Marco Rubio is in third place at 13 percent and Ben Carson is in fourth place at 8 percent. Jeb Bush is in fifth with 6 percent. Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, John Kasich and Rand Paul each receive 3 percent.
Cruz is the most popular candidate, with 61 percent of voters viewing him favorably to 18 percent unfavorable. But Trump could make hay by continuing to raise questions about whether the Texas senator is constitutionally eligible to be president. Cruz was born in Canada to an American mother and was a citizen at birth without having to go through a naturalization process.
Forty-seven percent of Iowa Republicans say someone born outside the United States should not be allowed to be president, although it’s not entirely clear they mean Cruz’s exact circumstance, while 32 percent think they should be allowed. Only 46 percent know that Cruz was born in Canada and nearly one in four say it makes them less likely to vote for him.
