Christie Leaps to 5-Point Lead Over Hillary in Iowa

Chris Christie has leaped ahead of potential presidential rival Hillary Clinton in all-important Iowa, says the latest Quinnipiac University Poll.

The New Jersey Republican governor leads the former first lady by 45 percent to 40 percent in the first-in-the-nation state, the survey says.

"The change from last time Quinnipiac University polled Iowa, July 22, when they were tied 41-41 percent, reflects a general improvement for Republicans, almost certainly related to the controversy over 'Obamacare,'" said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Connecticut university's Polling Institute.

Clinton, however, would beat other potential Republican rivals, the poll found. She tops Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul by a whisker-thin 45 percent to 44 percent; Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, 48 percent to 41 percent; and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, 47 percent to 40 percent, says the survey conducted Dec. 10-15 among 1,617 registered voters.

The gender gap between Clinton and Christie is significant, as women prefer Clinton by 49 percent to 39 percent and men prefer Christie 51 percent to 30 percent. The New Jersey Republican also has the support of independent voters, with 44 percent saying they would vote for Christie if the election were held today and 35 percent preferring Clinton.

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