The Bush surname may not be such a bad thing among GOP voters as former Florida governor Jeb Bush now leads by a wide margin over other potential Republican presidential candidates, according to the latest poll.
A CNN/ORC poll published Sunday shows the Bush sibling as the frontrunner with 23 percent of Republicans nationwide selecting him as their top choice. That’s 10 points more than New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who finished second in the poll with 13 percent.
Ben Carson finished third with 7 percent. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and former Arkansas governor and Fox News personality Mike Huckabee tied for fourth with each one pulling in 6 percent.
Bush’s double-digit result marks the first time a potential 2016 Republican candidate has had such a strong lead in the polling, according to CNN.
Bush’s main obstacle is considered to be his low support among the conservative base due to his support of Common Core and granting amnesty to illegal immigrants — two things strongly opposed by the base. He even has reportedly talked with 2008 Republican nominee John McCain on ways he can win the primary without having to woo conservatives. (RELATED: Jeb Bush Asks McCain For Advice On Not Pandering To Conservatives)
But, according to CNN, Republicans are “evenly split” on whether those issues would dissuade them from voting for the former governor. Still, a slim majority — 42 percent — say Bush’s stance on immigration makes them less likely to cast their vote for him; 39 percent say it would make no difference.
This latest poll represents a surge of support for Bush from GOP voters, as the last CNN poll showed the governor with only 14 percent of support among Republicans. A reason for this drastic change may owe to the fact that 69 percent of the individuals surveyed said they want somebody who can win rather than someone who agrees with them on every issue.