WaPo/ABC Poll: Trump Ahead of Carson By 10 Points

Donald Trump leads the GOP presidential field not only in support, but in high expectations as well, a new poll shows.

In the Washington Post/ABC News survey, the real estate billionaire has the backing of a whopping 32 percent of Republican-leaning voters – but 42 percent say they expect Trump to win the GOP nomination and 43 percent pick him for having the best shot at winning the November 2016 election.

The breakdown is as follows:

• Donald Trump: 32 percent
• Ben Carson: 22 percent
• Rubio: 10 percent
• Bush: 7 percent
• Cruz: 6 percent
• Fiorina: 5 percent

Here's the breakdown in expectations for most likely to win the GOP nomination:

• Trump: 42 percent
• Ben Carson: 15 percent
• Jeb Bush: 12 percent
• Marco Rubio: 5 percent

Here's who has the best chance to win the general election:

• Trump: 43 percent
• Carson: 16 percent
• Bush: 13 percent
• Sen. Ted Cruz: 4 percent
• Carly Fiorina: 3 percent

"For all the campaigning under way, the overall race for the GOP nomination looks to be on pause, with essentially no change in candidate support since last month," the pollster says.  "That reflects a loss of momentum for Trump and Carson alike. Still, among their opponents only Rubio cracks the double digits, and just barely, with 10 percent."

But Trump shines in many key attributes, the poll finds:

• 47 percent view him as the strongest leader
• 39 percent think he'd be best able to handle immigration
• 32 percent feel he is closest to them on the issues
• 29 percent say he "best understands the problems of people like you."

Here's how Carson, Fiorina, Bush, Rubio and Cruz fare within those categories:

Strongest leader:

• Bush: 12 percent
• Rubio: 11 percent
• Carson: 9 percent
• Cruz: 8 percent
• Fiorina: 6 percent

Best chance of winning:

• Carson:16 percent
• Bush: 13 percent
• Rubio: 11 percent
• Cruz: 4 percent
• Fiorina: 3 percent

Best on immigration:

• Rubio: 15 percent
• Bush: 13 percent
• Cruz: 9 percent
• Carson: 9 percent
• Fiorina: 4 percent

Closest on issues:

• Carson: 19 percent
• Bush: 11 percent
• Rubio: 11 percent
• Cruz 8 percent
• Fiorina: 6 percent

Understands the problems:

• Carson: 19 percent
• Rubio: 13 percent
• Bush: 10 percent
• Fiorina: 8 percent
• Cruz: 8 percent.

Trump fares worse on experience, honesty and personality. Best experience:

• Bush: 31 percent
• Trump: 23 percent
• Rubio: 12 percent
• Carson: 8 percent
• Cruz: 8 percent
• Fiorina: 3 percent

Most honest:

• Carson: 33 percent
• Trump: 21 percent
• Bush: 10 percent
• Rubio: 10 percent
• Fiorina: 7 percent
• Cruz: 7 percent

Best personality:

• Carson: 24 percent
• Trump: 19 percent
• Bush: 15 percent
• Rubio: 14 percent
• Fiorina 10 percent
• Cruz: 5 percent

The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percent.


Related Stories:

• Trump Highest Yet in NBC/WSJ Poll, Carson Close Second

• CNN/ORC Poll: Fiorina Drops 11 Points, Momentum May Be Over