Politics

Poll: Christie leads potential 2016 GOP field in Iowa, tops Hilary in head-on-head match up

Jamie Weinstein Senior Writer
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Newly re-elected New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie leads a new poll of potential 2016 GOP presidential contenders in Iowa.

Christie tops the Harper Polling/Conservative Intel survey with the support of 17 percent of likely caucus-goers. The Iowa caucus is traditionally the first primary electoral contest of the presidential election season.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz comes in a close second behind Christie in the poll, with 16 percent support. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is next with 13 percent support, followed by former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum with 11 percent, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan with 9 percent, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker with 7 percent, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio with 6 percent and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal with 3 percent.

Seventeen percent of respondents said they are not sure who they would support.

The poll surveyed 390 likely GOP caucus-goers and has a margin of error of 4.96 percent.

The poll also surveyed 985 likely voters in Iowa, pitting many of the potential Republican presidential contenders against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Christie bests Clinton by over 5 percentage points, 43.35 percent to 38.12 percent, with just over 18 percent undecided. The rest of the Republicans tested against Clinton all lost in a match-up.

Cruz fares the worst against Clinton, losing in a head-to-head race 47.37 percent to 40.45 percent, with just over 12 percent undecided.

The larger survey has a margin of error of 3.12 percent.

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