Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson is continuing to ride a surge of support for outsiders, pulling up close behind Donald Trump in the latest CBS News/New York Times poll.
Republican voters nationwide continue to back Trump in large numbers, climbing from 23% support in the last CBS poll, conducted before the Fox News debate last month, to 27% in the poll out Tuesday. But Carson rocketed in that same period from 6% to 23%. The survey also found Carson doing well across demographic groups, edging out Trump among college-educated Republican voters.
The rest of the field, with the exception of Carly Fiorina and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, has slipped behind with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker falling farthest from 10% support last month to 2% now.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio all tied for third place with 6%.
The margin of error for the 376-person sample of Republican voters in this newest poll is plus-or-minus 6%, and was conducted Sept. 9-13.
The latest CNN/ORC survey, released last week, showed Carson rising in the polls — landing at 19% support among Republicans, behind Trump’s 32% support. The latest poll from ABC News/Washington Post also showed Trump significantly ahead of Carson.
Facing a rising Carson last week, Trump took some potshots at the retired neurosurgeon, even as Carson apologized for questioning Trump’s faith.
“We need energy,” Trump said last Saturday during a campaign stop in Iowa. “I don’t think Ben has the energy. Ben is a nice man, but when you’re negotiating against China, and you’re negotiating against these Japanese guys who are going to come at you in waves … we need people that are really smart that have tremendous deal-making skills and have great, great energy.”