Poll: Carson Best-Liked Among All Presidential Candidates

A new Gallup poll conducted over the last two weeks was released Thursday and reveals retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson is the best-liked candidate for president, while real estate mogul Donald Trump is the least-liked with a negative favorability rating.

According to the poll:

• Ben Carson has a net positive rating of 21 points (42 to 21 percent)
• Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina has a net positive rating of 6 points (28 percent to 22 percent)
• Florida Sen. Marco Rubio at positive 5 (32 percent to 27 percent)
• Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at positive 4 (32 percent to 28 percent)
• Ohio Gov. John Kasich, also at positive 4 (21 percent to 17 percent)

However, in the negatives includes:

• Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at negative 2 (37 percent to 39 percent)
• Texas Sen. Ted Cruz at negative 3 (28 percent to 31 percent)
• Hillary Clinton at negative 6 (43 percent to 49 percent)
• New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at negative 10 (28 percent to 38 percent)
• Donald Trump sits at negative 22 (34 percent to 56 percent)

The poll also notes that although Carson has a negative favorability rating of 13 among Democrats, he still fares better that other Republican candidates.

"He enjoys a high familiarity rating among Republicans, but if he is to become a better-known figure nationally, he will have to 'introduce' himself to Democrats," The Gallup poll stated.

"If more Democrats do come to know him — even if they decide they don't like him — it is a sign that his once-improbable campaign is becoming much less so."

The poll was conducted by telephone from Oct. 19-Nov. 1 as part of Gallup's daily survey, with 7,121 adults nationwide, carrying an overall margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The sample included 3,180 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents participating with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points; 2,900 Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents participated with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. 

Related Stories:

• Ben Carson Leads in National Polling
• NBC/WSJ Poll: Carson, Clinton Tied in Head-to-Head Race