Ben Carson, the retired neurosurgeon, Obamacare critic and New York Times best-selling author, has become a surprise top challenger to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a 2016 presidential matchup, according to a new poll.

Rasmussen Reports finds that Carson places just behind Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul as Clinton’s closest competitor. In the new poll out Monday, Clinton would beat Carson 45 percent to 38 percent and would beat Paul 46 percent to 39 percent.

Recommended Stories

Bull’s Eye: NRA revenue jumps 36% to $348 million

Here’s a personality analysis of every potential 2016 presidential candidate

Iowa Poll: Walker Has Small Lead, But More Voters Undecided