A new national poll of Republican primary voters finds retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson in the lead, overtaking reality TV star and New York businessman Donald Trump. The CBS News/New York Times poll found 26 percent of Republican primary voters polled support Carson, while 22 percent support Trump. In a distant third was Florida senator Marco Rubio at eight percent, followed by former Florida governor Jeb Bush and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, both at 7 percent.
This poll is just the second national survey since July to show Trump not in the lead, and it follows a handful of recent polls of Iowa Republican caucusgoers that show Carson with an advantage in that early primary state. Carson currently has a lead of more than eight points in Iowa, according to the Real Clear Politics average of polls.
Trump remains in the lead in the first primary state, New Hampshire, with a more than 15-point advantage there.
The Republican candidates meet for their third primary debate on Wednesday in Boulder, Colorado.
