Trump Vs. GOP Field: Latest Poll Shows Former President Has Commanding Lead, With One Candidate Making Significant Jump

As the Iowa caucuses draw near, former President Donald Trump continues to lead the GOP field with a robust 48% in a recent poll.

In contrast, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley has made a significant leap to second place, securing 20% support.

This latest poll by NBC News/Des Moines Register presents a challenging scenario for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has fallen to third place with 16% backing. In fourth place, Ohio entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has garnered just 8% support.

If Trump holds his current lead, which is slightly reduced from the 51% recorded in a December poll, it would mark the most significant margin of victory for a nonincumbent participating in Iowa's Republican presidential caucuses, according to NBC News.

Also Read: Trump's Potential White House Return 'Arguably More Consequential' Than First Term, Says Outlet

Pollster J. Ann Selzer pointed out a significant enthusiasm gap among supporters, with nearly half of Trump's supporters being extremely enthusiastic, in stark contrast to only 9% of Haley's.

“There is underlying weakness here,” Selzer told NBC News of Haley’s standing. “If turnout is low, it seems to me that a disproportionate share of her supporters might stay at home.”

The poll, which interviewed 705 likely Republican caucusgoers from Jan. 7 to Jan. 12, holds a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

The final week of campaigning was marked by a tumultuous winter storm, impacting much of Iowa. Haley and DeSantis engaged in a fiery televised debate, after which they braved the frigid weather in Iowa to campaign some more.

Meanwhile, Trump, arriving in Iowa late Saturday, spent a significant portion of the week in legal proceedings, addressing various allegations against him.

With the New Hampshire primary soon approaching, even a narrow victory in Iowa could compel the third-place contender to withdraw, allowing for a consolidation of the anti-Trump vote.

Now Read: Trump Has Better Shot Of Beating Biden Than His GOP Rivals Claim, According To Latest Polls

This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo: Shutterstock